With A Dying Breath
by Meredith Sinclair
Summary: Hermione has been cursed by a dying Death Eater. Now she thinks she one of them. Will she ever remember her true self? Complete! Chapter 12 gets a little violent and there is an attempted rape. Apologies again to Professor Snape and the movie "As Good as it Gets".
1. Chapter 1

The Last Curse

Harry saw Hermione sitting alone in the Great Hall. She looked stunned and miserable. He walked over to her and sat down in silence. The two friends had just been through death and life again together and right now there was nothing left to say. "Take a walk?" Harry asked. They had been giving the Weasley family some time together to care for their dead son and brother, Fred.

"Sure" Hermione said. She just wanted to get away from the horrible scene of her injured and dead friends lying all around her; here in the place where she had once spent the happiest times of her life.

The walked together in silence through the still smoldering ruins of the courtyard. The Battle of Hogwarts was over and the sun was shining brightly today. They had finally defeated Lord Voldermort, his Death Eaters and all the dark creatures that had conspired and fought with him. She was at a loss as to what to do now. This fight was all she had known for the last seven years. Where do we go from here, wondered Hermione. "Will it ever be the same?" she tearfully asked Harry.

"It will be rebuilt, but it will never be the same" he replied, even though he knew she wasn't just asking about the school. Just then, they heard rubble shifting and a low moan come from behind a pile of debris ahead of them and to their left. They looked at each other and Hermione said "Someone's alive over there!" and ran off.

"Hermione, wait!" Harry shouted. She has no idea who that might be, he thought, running after her and pulling out his wand. He heard a muttered curse and Hermione's brief scream. He rounded the corner between two piles of wreckage and she was there, lying in the dust. So was a dead Death Eater, partially buried under a pile of bricks that had once been part of the wall of the courtyard. He must have cursed Hermione with his dying breath, he realized. Harry scooped the unconscious girl up and carried her back to the Great Hall. He entered the hall and yelled, "Someone help us, please!" Professor McGonagall, Madame Pomfrey and Ron Weasley all came running as soon as they saw whom Harry had in his arms. He laid her on the nearest open stretcher.

"What happened?" asked Madame Pomfrey. Harry recounted the incident in the courtyard. Professor McGonagall said to Harry "We must go back out there and check if he really is dead. Come with me, Mr. Potter." Ron knelt beside Hermione and clutched her hand. If anything happens to her, he thought, after everything else, I really will go mad.

Harry showed Professor McGonagall the Death Eater that had attacked Hermione. He had not moved from the position he was in when Harry had left him. She confirmed that he was dead and took his wand. She performed the Prior Incantato spell to make the wand reveal its last spell and a troubled look came over her face. "He managed to use the _Deletrius_ before he died. I cannot retrieve the spell he performed on Miss Granger. Did you hear what he said Mr. Potter?" Harry thought as hard as he could. His best friend's life may be in the balance, but all he could remember was hearing someone speak. He had been too startled by her scream to remember what he had heard just before it.

"No, Professor" he replied to her.

Harry and Professor McGonagall returned to the Great Hall with the Death Eater's wand. They went directly to the stretcher where Madame Pomfrey was attending to Hermione. "Poppy, I have tried to recall the spell this wand cast, but the _Deletrius_ has been used. Is there anything you can do?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"No" replied Madame Pomfrey. "Minerva, your spell craft is better than mine, if you couldn't do it I'm afraid there's nothing else I can do with that wand."

"How's Hermione?" Harry asked.

"There doesn't seem to be any physical damage." Madame Pomfrey replied kindly to Harry. "Perhaps it was just some type of stunning spell." she offered. "We will have to wait until she wakes up to see how she is doing."

* * *

Draco Malfoy had returned to his dormitory in the Slytherin dungeons. He stood by his bed and ran his hands through his hair, then rubbed his tired, bloodshot eyes. There wasn't anything here he wanted, he had just needed somewhere to be alone. He packed Vincent Crabbe's things into his trunk. He may still have family somewhere that might want them one day, he thought. He looked around remorsefully at the room where he had slept for the past seven years. What had happened? he thought. All the youthful boasting and bragging they had done in here. The plans and schemes they had conjured, the things they would be famous for after the Dark Lord returned to power. It seemed to have happened a century ago. The war was over, and he was probably going to be sent to Azkaban sometime today. His heart felt heavy as he left the dungeon and slowly made his way back to the Great Hall to meet his parents.

* * *

Hermione awoke gradually. She raised her hand and gently rubbed her forehead. "What happened?" she said before her eyes were even open.

"You got hit with some kind of curse" Ron said, stroking her cheek. At his voice and touch, her eyes flew open and she sat straight up.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME YOU FILTHY LITTLE COCKROACH!" she screamed at him and jumped up off the stretcher. She ran full speed out of the hall and collided with Draco Malfoy as he was entering. "Oh!" she said as she saw who she had run into. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed. "It's over isn't it? We've lost! Its over." she cried.

Draco wouldn't have looked more confused if Dumbledore himself had reappeared in the hall at that moment. He pried Hermione's arms off his neck and pushed her back from him. "Wh-what?" was all he could manage to say.

"After all we did, how hard we worked" she cried, "It was all in vain. They won!" she screeched.

Professor McGonagall, Madame Pomfrey, Ron and Harry came over to the odd pair.

"Hermione, have you lost your mind?" Ron asked.

She glared at them with palpable hatred as she scrambled to hide behind Draco. "Don't let them near me!" she spat, "They put some kind of curse on me, the Weasel said so himself!" Hearing the slur on his name coming from the girl he loved, Ron looked as if someone had slapped him.

"Well" said Professor McGonagall, "It appears we know the nature of the curse she is suffering."

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy approached to find the cause of this scene that seemed to involve their son. "What is happening here?" asked Lucius, still using that insufferably imperious voice he had. Hermione broke away from Draco and hugged Narcissa. She looked more shocked than her son had at the girl's embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Narcissa" Hermione whispered. "We tried so hard."

"That's alright." Narcissa said, bewildered, as she pulled Hermione's arms off of her neck.

"Lucius," Hermione said, as she moved away from Narcissa, "What happened? We were so strong! We were invincible, weren't we?" she trailed off, looking confused.

"Miss Granger has been cursed by a …." Professor McGonagall started. Since the girl seemed to think that she had been one of them, she was worried that if she said Hermione had been cursed by a Death Eater, it might set her off to screaming again. "She has been cursed. I think she probably should be transported to St. Mungo's."

"I am NOT going **anywhere** with you people!" Hermione growled. "It's a trap, isn't it? You tell me you're taking me to St. Mungo's, so I'll go along willingly and the next thing I know, you are turning me over to the guards at Azkaban! No way!" she hollered as she tried to hide behind Draco again. He looked as if a Blast-Ended Skrewt was trying to cuddle with him. He moved away from the others, trying to escape the clinging girl, but she followed him like a scared puppy.

"If you won't trust us, Miss Granger" Professor McGonagall said, looking to Lucius and raising her eyebrows, "Perhaps the Malfoys would be so kind as to escort you to the hospital?"

"Absolutely not!" said Lucius emphatically. "We are returning to Malfoy Manor at once. You will have to find a way to help the little mud-"

Ron shoved past Harry in a blur. He seized Lucius' arm and thrust his wand against his neck. "**FINISH THAT SENTENCE**" he roared. "Please, _PLEASE_ , just give me a reason!"

Harry placed his hand on Ron's shoulder and pulled him off of Lucius. "He's not worth it, Ron. It's over. He's on the losing side. Let him go." Ron gave his wand one last push into Lucius' neck, shoved him slightly and backed off, fire still in his eyes. "Lucius," Harry said coldly, "I wonder if I might speak with you for a moment?" He motioned him a short way away from the others. Lucius followed.

Harry spoke quietly, but firmly. "Lucius. I saved your son's life twice last night. The _only_ reason your family is not already in Azkaban this morning, is because your wife saved my life in the Forbidden Forrest last night. I have already spoken for your family once. The way I see it, you owe me quite a large debt." The older wizard looked extremely uncomfortable at the idea of owing this particular boy wizard anything. "So," Harry continued, "You and your family WILL take Hermione to the hospital and see to her well being. You will stay with her as long as needed, and follow all the orders of the doctors to make sure she recovers from this curse. Treat her well and I will make sure that, when the time comes, your deeds after this day will be recognized."

Lucius's eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened. He took a deep breath. As much as he burned with hatred for this "chosen" boy and the mudblood girl, he recognized this as his only chance to keep his family of prison, at least for now. He nodded curtly. "Thank you" Harry said, and they walked back to the small group discussing Hermione's condition.

"Narcissa," Lucuis said to his wife, "I believe Professor McGonagall is correct. Miss Granger," he corrected himself, even though the name caught in his throat, "_Hermione _would be best treated at St. Mungo's."

"Hey!" shouted Ron, "There is no WAY I'm letting her go with them!"

"It's alright, Ron" Harry reassured him. "Lucius and I have worked it out. Please trust me Ron. She's my best friend too, and I wouldn't let her come to any harm". Harry nodded at Narcissa and she went to the girl who was still clinging to her son.

"Come dear, the protective charms around Hogwarts have been replaced. We will need to leave the grounds to apperate to the hospital" she said gently as she put her hands on Hermione's shoulders and began to guide her out of the hall.

"Wait!" Hermione said, "My wand! Where is it?" Ron went back to the stretcher where she had been laying and retrieved it for her.

"Best let Mrs. Malfoy take care of it until she has been treated" suggested Professor McGonagall. The last thing they needed was this exceptionally talented, but now very troubled young witch in posession of her most powerful weapon. Ron handed the wand to the older witch. He watched as the girl he loved walked away with the people he hated. The small group left the school, walked through the destroyed courtyard and off the grounds. He heard the distant "Crack" as they disapperated. "Be safe, Hermione" he whispered.

_**Authors note**_

_I don't know yet how fast this one will come; there are still some large holes in the middle I am working on. Once again, I am trying to keep to canon, pre Deathly Hallows epilogue. If you spot any mistakes, please let me know!_


	2. Chapter 2

St Mungo's

They arrived at the hospital. In the lobby, Lucius told the other three to sit and while he found someone to help them. He saw a healer walking through the lobby and said, "Excuse me, I am Lucius Malfoy and I have someone here who needs medical help."

"Look around, everyone here needs medical help" the healer snapped back. "There was a battle at the school last night and the injured are still making their way in. Have a seat and someone will be with you" she turned on her heel and walked off. Lucius was stunned. The Malfoy name usually commanded attention and immediate action. She had walked away from him as if he was nothing! He found the Welcome Wizard and got his attention. "EXCUSE ME" he said a little louder than necessary. "I have someone here that needs help!" he said.

"Name?" the wizard asked brusquely.

"Lucius Malfoy" he responded, with an aristocratic sneer.

"So, Mr. Malfoy" the wizard sounded bored, "How are you hurt?"

"Not me you idiot. Her, the girl over there" he motioned to the chairs where the others were. Narcissa sat, still tall and proud, between Draco and Hermione, trying to provide her son a buffer from the clinging girl who thought she was in love. Draco was hunched down in his seat, eyes closed, arms folded. Hermione sat leaning forward on her thighs, trying to see Draco around Narcissa.

"Alright," said the wizard, "What is _her_ name?" he asked, like he was talking to a child.

"Hermione Granger" Lucius told him. At this, the wizard suddenly was very attentive.

"Really? Really!?" he said, excitedly. "Hermione Granger, from the Battle of Hogwarts? Bring her over, hurry up!" Lucius felt a small wave of anger and disbelief. This little mudblood girl's name had garnered the attention that his pureblood name should have. He gave the wizard brief scornful look, then slowly walked over to the others.

"Come, Hermione" he said in a low, tight voice, "They are ready to see you now." He turned to walk back to the Welcome Wizard and they all followed. First Hermione, then Narcissa, still trying to keep the two younger ones apart. Draco brought up the end, looking at his feet. He concentrated on the floor as if it had stepping stones and if he missed one he would fall into an abyss. He could think of a million other places he'd rather be, however, Azkaban was not one of them. And that was probably where they _all_ would be right now, if Granger hadn't needed their help. That was the only reason he reluctantly went along with all of this insanity.

They reached the Welcome Wizard, and he excitedly skirted around Lucius, ignoring him completely and grasped Hermione's hand, quickly pumping it up and down as he led her further into the hospital. "Miss Granger!" he gushed, "Hermione," he was almost beaming. "We are so pleased to have you here! Well, of course not pleased that you are here for medical attention, but none the less, Welcome to St. Mungo's!"

Before the wizard could say anymore, perhaps congratulating her on her heroics at the Battle and setting her off again, Narcissa intervened. "Perhaps we should see the healer as soon as possible" she said, using that tone of voice Draco recognized as a command disguised as a gentle request.

"Oh, of course!" he said, "He's expecting you. Minerva McGonagall let us know you were coming." As they entered the elevator, he started to jabber at Hermione again, but Narcissa stopped him with a stern look and a small shake of her head. He was quiet the rest of the journey to the fourth floor, but continued to stare at Hermione. She didn't notice, however. She was too busy chasing Draco. Each time she got close to him, he shifted and moved away. She followed him again, and he would move away again. It was almost comical, since it was all happening in a small elevator. The bell rang, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. The Welcome Wizard pointed to a tall, dark haired Healer in the hallway. "There's Healer Barnabus, he's the best we have at treating spell damage." As the group left the elevator, the Welcome Wizard grabbed Hermione's hand again. "Hermione," he said very seriously, "I wish you all the best. Please get better soon."

The elevator doors closed, and Hermione said, "What is wrong with him?"

"I just think he's concerned for you Miss Granger," Healer Barnabus said as a greeting. He introduced himself and shook her hand. "We all want to see you get better." Probably can't send unhealthy people to Azkaban, she thought. She still didn't know exactly what was wrong with her, why did she even need to be here?

"Please come with me," Barnabus said, "We have a room prepared for you Miss Granger." Hermione looked at Narcissa. She nodded and gave the girl a slight smile and they all followed the healer. Once in the room, Hermione turned and asked the healer, "What exactly _is_ wrong with me? I don't feel sick or hurt. Is there something wrong with my mind?"

Barnabus took a moment before he answered. He wanted to choose his words very carefully. Spell damage to the mind was a very tricky issue. If he did say the wrong thing, she could easily become furious and refuse to work with him. "Well, Miss Granger. Hermione, if I may?" She nodded. "You know that you have been injured by a damaging spell. We don't yet know exactly what the spell was, but its nature seems to be something that has affected your memories."

"There's nothing wrong with my memory. I remember everything just fine. My recall has always been flawless!" She felt insulted. Her marks at Hogwarts were testament to her sharp mind.

"Of course, the memories you can recall seem fine. But we believe that there may be some false memories implanted as a result of this spell" Barnabus said, cautiously. He didn't want her to realize that the memories she thought were real were the false memories. "In the next few days, you may have some flashes of strange memories, or dreams that are extremely vivid that don't fit with events as you remember them. When this happens, please try to recall as much of these as possible. We may be able to use them to help you."

"Oh. Alright" she agreed.

"And I believe that you are exhausted as well. Before we begin any treatment, I would like to give you a Sleeping Draught to help you rest." Barnabus suggested. Hermione considered this. With all the planning and strategizing for the war, she hadn't slept well in almost a year. Then there was the Battle of Hogwarts. She hadn't actually gotten any sleep in at least two days. She nodded. "There is a bathroom through there" he motioned to a door to their left. "Please feel free to clean up. There are also some clean pajamas in there as well. Take your time. We'll be here when you are done."

As soon as Barnabus mentioned cleaning up, she realized she was still covered in dust, dirt, even someone's or something's blood. She smelled of smoke and sweat. "A shower would be great" she said and she walked to the small bathroom.

After the door was closed and they heard the shower running, Barnabus turned back to the Malfoys, "Let's talk in the hallway" and he led them out of the hospital room. "What do you know about of the curse she's suffering?" he asked them.

Narcissa spoke up, "Do you know who she is?" she asked first.

"Yes," Barnabus answered. "Hermione Granger. Minerva McGonagall contacted me and told me a little of her story. She is a very brave and strong young woman."

"She is," Narcissa continued, "However, she seems to believe herself to be a Death Eater and that she has spent the last years helping the Dark Lord defeat Harry Potter. Any suggestion to the contrary confuses her and makes her very angry."

"I see" said Barnabus. Just then Harry and Ron stepped off the elevator, looked around and saw the Malfoys. The hurried over to the group.

"How is she?" Ron asked anxiously.

"No change" replied Lucius, flatly. Ron seemed to crumple, looking devastated.

"Can you help her?" he implored the healer, "Please."

"And you are?" Barnabus asked.

"Ron Weasely" he jerked his thumb at his friend, "Harry Potter. I'm her boyfriend."

"Better not let _her_ hear you say that, Weasley." It was the first time Draco had spoken since they left Hogwarts. It wasn't prudent, he knew, but the old habit of trying to wind up the Weasel was too deeply ingrained. That was a mistake, especially today. Ron jumped at him and shoved him against the wall, pinning him there. He raised his fist. For the second time today, Harry pulled Ron off of a Malfoy before he did something he might regret.

"Let me go, Harry!" Ron shouted. "He deserves it! You know he does! Not just for that, but for the last _seven bloody years_!" he bellowed as he tried to escape Harry's grip.

"Ron. RON!" Harry shouted back. "This is not the time or the place. I want this as much as you do, but it won't help Hermione!"

"Maybe we should step outside then!" snarled Draco.

Just then they heard Hermione call from the room, "What is going on out there?"

Narcissa threw a scowling look at the boys. "Lucius, you stay out here with them" she motioned to Harry and Ron. "If she knows they are here, there's no telling what will happen. Draco, you come with me" and they went back into the room.

"What exactly is happening here?" Barnabus demanded. "Why did the Malfoys bring her here if there seems to be so much animosity between you all?"

"Because the spell seems to have her believing that she is Draco's girlfriend and almost a member of our family. She would not trust anyone else to bring her here" said Lucius. The look on his face told them that the very idea of such a thing disgusted him. Ron's face began to flush with anger again at Lucius' remarks and his demeanor. Harry gripped Ron's arm in warning.

"Well, where are her parents then? Surely she would trust them? And their presence might help trigger her memory healing" Barnabus asked.

"She Oblivated herself from their memories to keep them safe from the likes of _him_" Ron jabbed his finger at Lucius. "Then they moved to Australia. No one knows exactly where they are now."

"I understand." said Barnabus. "Well, it appears as if we have no choice but for the Malfoys to be her guardians until she is well again."

Inside the hospital room, Hermione stood by the bed. She was wearing blue pajamas and clutching her dirty clothes. "Who's out there shouting?" she asked as Narcissa and Draco entered the room.

"Just some crazy people" Draco answered, smirking slightly. "They apparently need help too." Narcissa gave Draco the look that from childhood had meant "Shut up", so he rolled his eyes and huffed off to a chair by the window.

Narcissa turned back to Hermione. In the slightly too large pajamas, her wet hair pulled back from her face, holding the filthy clothes, she almost looked like a little girl. The hollows in her cheeks and the dark sockets of her eyes made her look like a little lost girl. Narcissa suddenly felt protective of her, despite who she was, or maybe because of it. She has suffered so much, Narcissa thought. Most of it at our hands. She blushed with guilt at that thought.

Blood status had never mattered much to Narcissa. In this matter, her thinking was more like that of her cousin's, Sirius. She had never fully understood her husband's irrational revulsion towards Muggle born or half blood wizards, but he was her husband and she had supported him. Until now, she thought. I should have left him as soon as the Dark Lord returned.

She walked to Hermione and put an arm around her thin shoulders. "You should be in bed" she said maternally, she took the bundle of clothes from her, set them on the floor and she guided her to the hospital bed. Hermione climbed in and Narcissa pulled the covers over her.

"The healer was right, Narcissa" she said, quietly, "I am exhausted."

"I'll go fetch him right now" she said and left the room. Hermione looked over at Draco, seated next to the window.

"Will you stay with me, please?" she asked him.

Draco shifted uncomfortably in the chair and said "Yeah, sure".

She smiled at him, "Thank you".

Narcissa returned to the room with Barnabus. "Much better!" he said when he saw his now clean patient. He carried a small vial of a clear potion. "This Sleeping Draught may be a little different than you are familiar with. It is tasteless, and it won't actually make you sleep, but will relax you so you can fall asleep easier. If you wake and need anything, ring this bell." he showed her a small bell with a ornately carved wooden handle on the bedside table. He handed her the vial and she drank the potion. She lay back on the plump white pillow of the hospital bed, and drifted off to sleep. Narcissa moved the blankets higher up on her body and softly touched her forehead.

"Come, Draco" she said quietly when the young woman was deeply asleep.

"She wanted me to stay…" he began.

"You can go" Barnabus said. "She will be sleeping for hours. Go and get cleaned up yourselves. Have something to eat. We will watch her closely and let you know if you are needed." They all left the room as Hermione slept soundly.

Narcissa and Draco joined Lucius in the hallway. Kingsley Shacklebolt had arrived and was with Lucius. "Where are Potter and Weasley?" Draco asked.

"They were asked to leave as they were disturbing some of the patients" said Lucius. "All that crass shouting and fighting. No breeding" he scoffed.

"Lucius!" warned Kingsley.

Lucius shook his head slightly and looked at Narcissa. "It appears that we must be confined here until the Granger girl recovers." he told her. "We are considered, what was phrase you used, Shacklebolt? Ah, yes, a 'flight risk'."

"You have not appeared before the Wizengamot yet to answer for your actions. The Ministry does not want your family fleeing before that can happen. Therefore, you all will be confined to the hospital grounds until Hermione is released." he informed them. Then he said "I need your wands."

"No way!" exclaimed Draco. "We only have one wand left! What if Potter and Weasley come back, I am not going to be left defenseless!"

"I will not be confiscating your wand, Draco" Kingsley assured him. "I will be placing a safety spell on it so you cannot use it for anything other than ordinary, daily use spells." Draco handed over the family's only remaining wand. His mother's wand, that she had given him to use during the Battle of Hogwarts. Kingsley took the wand, pointed his own wand at it and said, "_Restringe potestate_". He returned the wand to Draco, and he passed it back to Narcissa. "I will take Hermione's wand until she needs it back" he said and Narcissa handed it over to him. "Healer Barnabus has found you rooms in the hospital where you can stay. I will be checking with him every day to make sure there's no trouble." He looked pointedely at Lucius. They stared at each other with distrust for a moment, and then Kingsley turned and left. Healer Barnabus returned with an orderly.

"This is James. He will show you to your rooms. I'll be in touch." They followed the orderly to the fifth floor of the hospital, down a corridor located to the right of the Visitor's Tearoom. The hallway was lined with doors, no more than two inches apart. "Here we are, room 512" James announced and opened the door. The rooms were magically arranged so that when you entered, a small apartment appeared. James showed them around. There were two small bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchenette, and a sitting room. "Let us know if you need anything. Kitchen items are restocked every morning, laundry will be picked up at 8 am and returned by 4 pm." He showed himself out.

The Malfoys looked around their small quarters. Definitely a change from the Manor, thought Narcissa, and she saddened. I will probably never see Malfoy Manor again, she thought. Draco and Lucius took seats around the kitchenette table.  
"I am going to go freshen up" announced Narcissa and she left for the tiny bathroom.

Lucius sat solemnly and looked at Draco. What have I condemned us to? He wondered to himself. The Malfoy line will die with him if we all end up in Azkaban. Even if Draco doesn't receive a life sentence, our name will mean nothing after our imprisonment. He cleared his throat slightly and looked at his son.

"Draco," he began. "I have been thinking about something. This is not how we expected things to turn out, obviously."

"Obviously" his son replied, the word dripping with scorn.

"Draco, I am still your father and I'll not tolerate disrespect." Lucius reprimanded him coldly. Draco just stared defiantly back at his father.

Lucius continued, "As I said, I have been considering something. A way, perhaps, if it is played out just right, for you at least to stay out of Azkaban. Andeven your mother and I possibly could be spared."

"No more plots, Father. I'll not be your pawn anymore" Draco replied angrily.

"Draco Malfoy. Do you want to spend your youth in Azkaban? Do you want to watch your mother confined to those dungeons for the rest of her life?" he played on his son's guilt.

"What do you want?" Draco sighed.

"This Granger girl. She thinks she loves you, doesn't she?" Lucius asked.

"It would appear so" he responded.

"And she's the hero of the war, correct? There is nothing the Wizarding world would deny her right now" he pondered.

"Father, what are you getting at?" Draco asked impatiently.

"Draco, I am suggesting you make it real. Make her fall so deeply in love with you that, even if her true memories are restored, she will not be able to leave you. She will not be able to bear seeing her true love or his beloved parents imprisoned."

Narcissa's voice spoke from the doorway. "Lucius Malfoy! Have you lost your mind!" she exclaimed.


	3. Chapter 3

St Mungo's and The Burrow

Draco rose very early, showered and changed into the clean robes that had been left in the closet in the small bedroom. In the sitting room, his father was sleeping on the sofa. He had heard his parents arguing long into the night and apparently no resolution had been reached. As quietly as possible, he left the cramped rooms and walked back up the hallway to the visitor's Tea Room. To his pleasant surprise, they were open. He ordered a cup of tea and took the elevator back down to the fourth floor.

The ward for Spell Damaged patients was quiet at this early hour. The sign at the entrance informed him that visiting hours didn't start until 8am, but he stepped on to the ward anyway and walked towards Hermione's room. At the center of the hallway was a large desk and five nurses sat around it, sipping their own hot drinks. One of them stood and said, "Excuse me sir, visiting hours are-"

Draco looked at her, and gave his best smile; his "lady-killer" he liked to think of it; and said with a conspiratorial half whisper, "She's my girlfriend". The nurse blushed slightly and returned the smile. She nodded to him; he gave her a flirty wink and went into the hospital room. Hermione was still fast asleep. The bathroom light had been left on and the door was not quite closed, providing a dim light in the room. He walked around the bed and set his tea on the side table closest to the window. He picked up the chair he had been pouting in yesterday and moved it beside the bed and sat down. He looked at her sleeping face. Although she had washed up and someone had been at work healing the cuts and scrapes she had received during the battle, she still looked like she had been through a war. She was pale and thin, and although the deep hollows were lessened, there were still purple smudges under her eyes. Her hand was resting beside her hip, palm up. He gently placed his fingertips in her palm. Her skin was warm and calloused. He didn't know the specifics of what she had been doing this past year, but it obviously had involved a lot of hard work. His fingertips stroked the rough surface a few times, then he slid his fingers across her palm and folded them around her hand. He sat like that, holding her hand and sipping his tea with his other hand. As she slept on, he relived the fight in their rooms last night.

"Lucius" his mother had raged, "I would rather spend a life in prison than force Draco to play a part in ONE more of your schemes! He has been through enough at our hands. He deserved to live his life as he pleases!"

"Well, my darling" he father sarcastically shot back, "That may well be exactly what you get. And as far as Draco leading the life he pleases, unless Azkaban pleases him, that will be impossible. Maybe our cells can be together and we can enjoy our happy family in the dungeons forever."

"No," she retorted stubbornly, "Draco will not be sentenced to Azkaban. He had no choice in his actions. He was protecting his family and he was being threatened by the Dark Lord. They will be merciful to him, I know it."

"Cissy," Lucius began, and she screeched at him.

"Don't you DARE call me that! You don't get to call me that EVER again!"

"Fine" his father said through clenched teeth, "Narcissa. This would not be forever. I am not asking Draco to marry the girl and produce broods of half breed children. He just needs to get her to go along until she can speak for us at a trial. After that, once we are all free, he can live any life he wants."

"So, you mean to trifle with the girl's emotions? Lucius, don't you think she has been through enough at our hands already? Haven't we inflicted enough damage for one lifetime? We _deserve_ Azkaban, you and I, for what we have done to Draco alone."

"Narcissa, no" he whispered. At this point Draco was realized how exhausted he was. He left his parents to battle it out and he went to the small bathroom. He showered quickly and went to the smaller bedroom to sleep. Although he heard his mother continuing to argue against this plan, he had already made up his mind. He had grown up in the last four years, more than anyone knew. He realized that his father's course of action made sense. He knew what must be done. How many times had he heard this phrase? "Draco, you know it must be done". Kill Dumbledore, Draco, you know it must be done. Do the Dark Lord's bidding, Draco, you know it must be done. Watch Bellatrix torture this girl, Draco, you know it must be done. As distasteful as this plan was, he had done worse, for the sake of 'What Must Be Done'. Once it's over, he thought, I can finally do what _I_ want. Let someone else take care of the things that must be done from then on.

After about two hours of sitting with Hermione, Draco was getting uncomfortable. He had wanted to make sure she woke to him holding her hand, but he was getting cramped and stiff. Just as he was just about to stand and stretch his legs, she began to stir. Her eyes opened and she looked around. "You're in the hospital" he said.

"Oh, right" she answered. He braced himself for her wrath. If the curse had worn off, she would be madder than a wet Manticore to find him holding her hand. But she just smiled. "You stayed?" she asked him.

He returned the smile. You love her, you love her, he thought over and over in his head. "Not all night. The Healer made me leave after you were asleep. But I made sure to be back before you woke up. It isn't even visiting hours yet."

"Did you sleep?" she asked him. She released he hand he was holding and reached out to touch his cheek. You love her, you love her, he kept repeating inside, to hold himself back from cringing at her touch. "You still look tired" she said.

"A little. I was worried about you" he responded. It was true that he hadn't slept much, but it was not worry for her that had disturbed his sleep.

"Draco, you're so sweet" she smiled again. Sweet? That was a new way to describe me, he thought. Her hand returned to his.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, in a concerned tone.

"Starving actually! I hadn't realized until you mentioned it!" she said.

"I'll go see to your breakfast then" he said. He stood up, leaned over her and kissed her forehead. "Don't go anywhere," he teased gently, "I'll be right back."

"I'll be right here" she replied, still smiling at him.

Draco managed to wait until the door shut behind him before he shuddered.

* * *

The Weasleys had all returned to the Burrow. Since the Dursleys had moved, Harry had nowhere to go so Molly Weasley insisted he stay with them. Minerva McGonagall had sent them a letter by owl the day after Hermione went into the hospital. The Death Eater that had attacked Hermione had been identified as Thorfinn Rowle and they were searching his home for any clues as to the curse he had used to attack Hermione. But the process was slow, as the house had many protective charms and traps set. Until then all she wanted them to do was wait.

"Bloody hell I will!" Ron protested, "I will not just sit around and do nothing while Hermione is in the hands of the bleeding Malfoy family!"

"Ron," his mother said as she took his hand, "We all love Hermione and want to help her. But Professor McGonagall and the others know the best way to do that. We need to listen to them." Ron jerked his hand back from his mother and stormed off to his room.

Later that day, Ron jealously watched Harry and Ginny together. Right now, they were sitting together on the sofa in the living room, heads bent over a book. They were talking quietly and occasionally one of them would laugh and they would look into each other's eyes. That should be me and Hermione, he thought bitterly, for the hundredth time. He felt like he had just found her, and they had taken her away from him. The bloody Death Eaters, he though angrily, will they ever stop causing pain? After everything we have been through, will we ever be able to feel like we actually won?

So, all they could do was sit and wait, he thought. It was killing Ron and he couldn't contain himself any longer. He jumped up from the kitchen table and started pacing between the living room and kitchen. He shouted to Ginny and Harry, "How can you two just sit there, while Hermione could be in danger! We HAVE to do SOMETHING!"

Ginny went to her brother, and grasped his upper arms and looked him squarely in the eye. "Ron. I know how scared and you are about Hermione. If it was Harry in the hospital I would be out of my mind with worry." Ron tried to shake her off, sure her next words were going to be telling him that waiting was all they could do. She surprised him by saying, "You're right, we need to think of some way to help her."

"How?" Harry asked as he came up to stand beside Ginny. "I doubt they will let us search Rowle's house with them."

"I have been thinking about that. What about the library?" she asked. "That's where Hermione would start."

"I don't think they will let us into Hogwarts" Harry said. "There has been too much damage."

"What about the Ministry?" Ron suggested. "They have to have archives, libraries, stuff like that. And we could be in London. Close to the hospital."

"We would need Ministry permission to be there" Harry said.

"Really, Harry? After all we have done, and all the Ministry has put us through, do you think they will say no?" Ginny asked.

"Right" said Harry. "Ok, let's contact Kingsley." Kingsley Shacklebolt had been appointed the acting Minister of Magic the evening Hermione had been admitted to the hospital. He sat at the table, drew his wand and said "_Accio parchment, accio quill_". The writing tools flew to him from the desk in the living room. He caught them and wrote the letter to Kingsley, asking for access to the Ministry archives, gave it to an owl for delivery.

The response from the Ministry had been immediate. They had been granted unlimited access to anything they wanted in the Ministry to try to help Hermione. Arthur Weasley arranged for them to have a small apartment in London where they could stay while they did their research. The next day when Arthur left for work at the Ministry, Ginny, Ron and Harry went with him. They arrived in the lobby by Floo and were met by a middle aged blonde witch. Her hair was pulled back in a severe style and she appraised them through half moon glasses.

"Hello Arthur" she said.

"Good Morning Anna" Arthur replied. "Anna Moon, this is Harry Potter, and my children, Ron and Ginny"

"I assume these are the 'researchers' Minister Shacklebolt informed me I am to allow unlimited access to my archives?" The three young wizards looked at each other. The witch's tone told them that she was going to trust them in her archives about as much as a flock of Pixies. "Come with me" she said shortly.

They bid Arthur goodbye with a promise to meet for lunch and followed Anna Moon to the elevators. After a rather long trip, they emerged into a cavernous hall in the bottom of the Ministry. There were shelves of documents as far as he eye could see. The room looked like it could hold the Hogwarts Quiddich field with the stands. The trio gaped in awe at the size of the archive.

"As you can see, our archives are quite extensive" Anna said with obvious pride in her voice. "Normally, no one but me and my staff would be allowed access to these documents. Requests for information go through the proper channels, and then I or one of my staff retrieves the documents and personally takes them where they are needed. This ensures proper handling and reshelving of the document. It is quite….unusual for anyone else to be in this archive."

"Unusual!" came a voice from a few stacks over, "It hasn't happened in living memory!" a wizard came to them from the stacks. He had short, spiky black hair and was grinning at them. "Phineus Burbage" he introduced himself and shook their hands.

"Burbage?" asked Ginny.

"Yes" he said sadly, "Charity Burbage was my cousin. I am proud to be helping the people that brought that damnable evil to an end" he finished fiercely. "I will be your escort while you are working in these archives"

"Yes, well," said Anna, not sharing Phineus' enthusiasm. "I will leave you with Mr. Burbage then. Phineus, I will be in my office if you need anything" and she turned and left.

"Blimey" said Ron when she was gone, "She doesn't seem too happy to have us here".

"Ah, don't worry about her" said Phineus. "She's been here as long as anyone can remember and she is a little overprotective of the archives. But, in her defense, there are quite a few priceless and irreplaceable parchments and books here. We must be extremely careful with everything. So, what are we looking for?" he asked excitedly. Ron explained the situation and how Hermione had been cursed.

"So we need information about spells and counterspells! Let's go!" Phineus seemed to be eager to help solve this mystery. He led them into the labyrinth of the archives. Harry made sure he kept the wizard in his sight. Although Phineus walked with purpose through this maze, Harry was certain if he got lost in this place, he wouldn't find his way out for days.

Their guide took them into an adjoining archive room, smaller than the hall they had just left, but still larger than the Great Hall at Hogwarts. "Here we are!" Phineus gestured grandly at the shelves in front of them. "The Spells Archive is in here." Shelves of parchments and books towered over them.

"Where is the spell section?" Ginny asked

Phineus laughed. "This ROOM is the spell section."

* * *

After asking the nurse about Hermione's breakfast, Draco started back to the room. Just before he reached the door, his mother called to him from the hallway by the elevator. He waved to her and she strode down the hallway to him. Trouble, he thought.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I am helping Hermione remember that she loves me" he told her.

"Draco!" she hissed, "I forbid you to do this!"

He took his mother's elbow and guided her to a quiet spot in the hallway, away from Hermione's room. He spoke in a low, determined voice. "Mother, I am of age and I can do as I please. Father was right; this is the only way to keep you, all of us, out of Azkaban. Please, mother, let me do this. For our family." He looked at her imploringly with his grey eyes.

She studied his face and realized he was set on this course. He knew once he pleaded with her, she could not say no. She had adored her precious boy from the second he first drew breath and could never deny him anything. She sighed and dropped her shoulders in defeat. "Alright, Draco. If this is what you want, I will help you."

He kissed her cheek and whispered, "Thank you mother". They walked back to Hermione's room together.

Her breakfast had arrived and she was tucking into the food. She hadn't eaten very well for almost a year and even the hospital food was delicious.

Narcissa put on a smile as she walked into the room. "How are you today, dear?" she asked. Draco moved back to the chair he had been sitting in when she had awakened.

Hermione put down the tea she had been drinking. "Narcissa!" she seemed pleased to see the older witch. "I am feeling better today. The rest I got last night really helped."

"I am so glad to hear that" Narcissa said, trying to sound happy. As much as her concern for this girl had become genuine, the plan her husband and son had designed was making her wary. There was a knock on the door and Healer Barnabus entered.

"Hermione, how are you today?" he smiled at his patient.

"I was just telling Narcissa, I think the good night's sleep helped a lot. I feel better than I have in a while."

"So, exhaustion is one of your problems. Let's try to repair the other. I would like to try just a couple of standard healing spells to see if any of them might work, ok?" the healer asked her.

Hermione agreed. The healer produced his wand from inside his uniform robes. "This won't hurt, I promise" he assured her. The first spell he tried was "_Reparifors_". He asked Hermione, "Anything different?"

She looked around the room and shook her head. "Alright, let's try another. _Restit mentis_" He looked questioningly at her. She shook her head again. Nothing had changed. "_Memoria reditu_" he tried next. Again, she shook her head, looking disappointed. She had always had such faith in the power of magic, and now that magic was failing her. A small tear rolled down her cheek.

"Oh, dear, don't worry" Narcissa said to her as she came over to the bed and took Hermione's hand. "It's only a start, right?" she looked at the healer.

"Of course" he assured them. "As I said, these are only general healing spells. I will have to do some more research and try to find a more specific spell to counter your condition. And more rest will help as well. Why don't you finish your breakfast? Mrs. Malfoy, Mr. Malfoy, may I speak to you in the hall?"

"Be right back" Draco told her. This time he lifted her hand to kiss before he left the room.

Once they were in the hallway, the healer's smile faded. "I will do some research to try to counter the curse she's suffering. But it could take months to find the correct counter-spell. I can keep her here for another couple of days to treat her exhaustion, but after that, I will have to discharge her. As I understand it, her parents are out of the picture, and she doesn't believe she can trust any of her former friends. If I discharge her, would you be willing to continue your guardianship of her?"

Draco and Narcissa looked at each other, considering this. Narcissa looked at Draco and raised her eyebrows. This is his plan, she thought, let him make the decision. He nodded slowly at his mother, and told the healer, "Yes. When she is discharged, we will care for her at Malfoy Manor as long as necessary."


	4. Chapter 4

The Spell Archives were well indexed. The indexes were huge books, bound in ancient leather that had the spell archives listed alphabetically, by first word, by purpose, by author, by date, language; any way you could imagine to sort the collection. This detailed index made finding the document you were looking for quick and easy. Unfortunately for Harry, Ron and Ginny, they had no idea what they were looking for. Ron thought they should look at the index by first word, pressing Harry "Come on mate, you can't even remember the first word he said?" referring to the curse the Death Eater put on Hermione. After the third time being asked, Harry snapped, "NO! Ron, I don't bloody remember ANY of the words he said!"

Ginny stepped in at this point. "Let's not argue. We are all under a lot of stress. Since we know the general effect of the curse, let's start with the Spell Purpose indexes." They agreed, and they each took one leather-bound volume, sat at a long wooden table and began to write down the index information for documents they thought might contain a clue as to how to reverse or counter spell the curse on Hermione. By the evening, they each had a parchment that was at least twenty inches, filled with document names and index numbers. Ron was discouraged. They had not even gotten through the first volume of the index. And even though Phineus Burbage was eager to assist them, he was just one man. It would take him days just to retrieve the documents they had requested today alone. By 7pm, exhausted and slightly dazed from reading all day, they glumly put away their work for the day and made the long trip back up to the lobby of the Ministry. It was nearly deserted, as most of the Ministry workers had left for home hours ago.

"What was the name of the place we are going again?" Ron asked.

"Widdershins" Ginny reminded him.

"Widdershins?" he asked. "What kind of a place is Widdershins?" he asked.

"I don't know I've never been there either" Ginny snapped at him. "But Dad set it up, so it must be alright. I'm going, I am exhausted!" She threw a handful of Floo powder into one of the lobby fireplaces, yelled "Widdershins" and jumped into the green flames. Ron looked at Harry, who just shrugged.

"She's your sister" he told Ron.

"Women" Ron muttered and followed Ginny into the Floo. Harry followed along behind.

Widdershins turned out to be a sort of rooming house for wizards. They had arrived in the small lobby. It was decorated with a few upholstered chairs covered in a faded floral pattern that may once have been red. There was a small counter in the center of the room and a stairway across from the fireplace they had entered through. Behind the counter was a closed door. A bell was tinkling somewhere behind that door. "All right, I'm coming" they heard a voice saying. The door opened and an old witch wearing an apron over her robes came into the lobby and stood behind the counter. "Names?" she said.

"Come again?" asked Ron.

Ginny gave an irritated exhale. "She asked us our _names_ Ron. Why are you so dense sometimes?" She went to the counter and told the old witch "Weasley and Potter. I believe my father; Arthur Weasley made arrangements for us?"

"Ah, yes! Of course. Welcome! I am Wilma Widdershins. I'll show you to your rooms. Follow me please." She left her spot behind the counter and started up the stairs. The trio followed her up to the third floor. The hallway looked to have been decorated to match the chairs in the lobby at some point, but the wallpaper was as faded as the upholstery had been. Small old fashioned gas-lights jutted from the wall every 5 feet. She stopped and opened a door on their left. "Here we are, suite 310" she pointed her wand at the lock and said "Liberare". She opened the door and gestured them in to the room. They entered into a pleasantly cozy sitting room. There was a large beige overstuffed sofa, a comfortable looking reclining chair and a coffee table. Beyond the sitting room they could see a half wall and a kitchen on the other side.

"Arthur has already dropped off your bags" she motioned to a pile of luggage in the corner of the sitting room. "Bedrooms are through here" she said, guiding them to a door off of the sitting room. They each grabbed their things and followed her through the door into a small hallway. At the left and right ends of the hallway was a bedroom and directly opposite the hallway door was a bathroom. "Now, where will the young lady be sleeping?" They all looked at Ginny.

"I-I guess in there?" she said and pointed at the bedroom to the right.

"Very good" said Wilma. She stood in the doorway of that bedroom, pointed her wand at the doorframe and said, "Viroj Angoro". Then she turned back to them. "There, all done. Misters Potter and Weasley, I would advise you not to enter the young lady's room. Breakfast is served in the dining room on the main floor from 6-8. Afternoon tea starts at 4. Good night" she called over her shoulder as she left them.

"Dad" Ginny remarked through gritted teeth. "You know he told her to do that." She kissed Harry goodnight and went into her charmed bedroom and shut the door. Harry and Ron stood in the small hallway, looked at each other then raced for the other bedroom. Harry got to the door first, but Ron was stronger and pulled him away from the door, pushed his way in and slammed the door shut. From behind the closed door he told Harry "We'll take turns on the couch. Night, mate!" Harry stood in the hallway briefly looking at the closed doors, shrugged to himself and went back out to the sitting room.

* * *

During the second night of Hermione's hospitalization, she had a very realistic dream. She was in a large, drafty tent with Potter and Weasley and they were all having a fight. She felt cold, tired, hungry and sad. We'll never find it, she thought as she started to leave the dream behind. I just want to give up. She woke with a start. The dream had scared her, not because the events of the dream were frightening, but because it was so real. She told Barnabus about it the next morning. He wrote it all down, but made no comment other than, "Interesting."

"Does it mean anything?" she asked him. "Is this one of the false memories?"

He spoke very carefully. "It could be" he said. "I am going to have to do some checking on this." He later consulted Draco about this dream. "Do you think this is something that really happened?" he asked.

Draco considered this. "She was in hiding all last year and Potter and Weasley were with her. I don't know exactly where they were, but, yes, it is probably a real memory" he suggested.

"That's good" Barnabus said, "It means her real memories are still there, but being repressed by the spell. I am going to discharge her tomorrow. Before I do, I would like to meet with your family and go over some ideas I have for you to help her once she leaves here."

"Fine" agreed Draco. "I'll tell them."

"I'll update Kingsley when he contacts me tonight" Barnabus told Draco.

Draco left the healer and went into Hermione's room. He smiled at her with his "lady-killer" smile. She returned his smile, lighting up. She grew into those teeth, he thought. "How are you this morning?" he asked her.

"Great" she answered. "I am ready to get out of here though."

"Barnabus said he thinks you can be released tomorrow" he told her.

"Really?" she asked excitedly. "Yes!" she raised her fists slightly in victory. Then her face fell. "But where can I go? Not Hogwarts. My parents…." She trailed off and her expression became troubled. She was thinking very hard, Draco could see. He was worried. He knew what happened to her parents, but would she remember? He held his breath slightly. "They're gone, aren't they?" she asked him. What do I say now? he thought.

"Yes, they are" he said cautiously.

"I had to send them away, didn't I? To keep them safe." she still looked confused.

"Yes" was all Draco said. He could see her brain spinning; she was trying to reconcile the true memory of what had happened to her parents with the cursed memory. After a minute or so, the confused look faded.

"Away from the war." She said and seemed satisfied to leave it at that. Draco simply nodded.

"Don't worry," he said, "You are going to stay with us."

She smiled again. "Oh, great! I have always wanted to see the manor!"

She had seen it, but apparently doesn't remember, Draco though. What is going to happen when she walks into that place where she had been tortured? Is she going to have a breakdown? He made a mental note to ask Barnabus when they met later. Draco spent the morning in Hermione's room, trying to entertain her and himself. Hospitals were brutally boring places he had come to realize over the last two days. He had passed the time telling her stories about his time at Hogwarts, making sure he didn't include any memories she might have shared. Today he told her about the Manor.

"There are gardens all around the house. They should be blooming by now. Wait until you see them, they are beautiful. There's even a hedge maze. Inside the house, there are so many rooms – you'll have to have a map so you don't get lost!" She smiled at this idea.

"It sounds lovely. I can't wait to go. I just want to get out of this room!" she said. Barnabus knocked on the door and came in.

"Hermione, how are you today?" he asked her.

"Really well. Draco told me you are releasing me tomorrow?" she asked hopefully.

"Draco is correct" Barnabus said. "Even though we haven't reversed the spell damage to your memory, you are physically well enough to go." Another knock on the door and an orderly came in with her lunch tray. "Now, while you eat your lunch, I need to speak with Draco and his family about how they can continue to help you after you leave." She nodded and they left the room. "Your parents are waiting for us in the Visitor's Tea Room" Barnabus said and led Draco to the elevators.

They found Lucius and Narcissa in the tea room and sat at the table they had chosen. Barnabus and Draco ordered some lunch.

"Ok, so I am going to release Hermione tomorrow. Your family has agreed to continue her care until she regains her memory, correct?" Barnabus asked them, looking at Lucius in particular. He looked extremely conflicted, but managed to give a slight nod. "She did have a memory breakthrough last night. She had a dream about something that happened in the last year. Draco believes the dream was a true memory. So her memories are there, just buried or blocked. I hope this will continue. If it does, I want you to be very careful when addressing these dreams or recollections. But I do want you to start questioning her, gently, about her past. Try to point out holes or inconsistencies in her recollections. She may get confused or angry. If she does, back off the questions. I will send an owl weekly to update you on my research and check on her progress. If she gets hysterical or uncontrollable at any time, you can bring her back here." Their lunches arrived.

"There's one thing" Draco said. "Something happened to her, at the Manor" he hesitated. He hated remembering that day. "Something terrible." He couldn't bring himself to say anymore. Narcissa stepped in.

"My sister," she began and then stopped, considering what to say.

"If you want me to help, I need the information" Barnabus told her.

"Hermione and her companions were captured and brought to the Manor for questioning. My sister was insanely dedicated to the service of the Dark Lord. When they wouldn't tell her what she wanted to know, she used the Cruciatus on Hermione."

Barnabus' face darkened. "That is a horrible thing to do to anyone" he said, barely containing his anger. "I cannot believe that there is no other choice than to send her with you. Yes, that may trigger some memories or feelings. Please watch her carefully. I think I will eat elsewhere" he picked up his lunch tray and walked away.

After lunch, Narcissa contacted Kingsley. If they were going home tomorrow and taking the girl with them, preparations needed to be made. Narcissa needed permission to leave the hospital. Kingsley granted Narcissa permission, but Lucius had to remain. She first went to Diagon Alley to purchase new wands. She then had to buy clothes for Hermione. She then returned to the Manor and instructed the House Elves to begin preparing the house for their return.

* * *

"Hello?" a deep voice called through the archives. "Harry? Ron?" Upon hearing the voice, Anna Moon hurried out of her office.

"Minister Shacklebolt! How can I help you?" she asked breathlessly.

"I need to speak to Harry and Ron" he said to the archive manager.

She looked disappointed and said, "If you will follow me please." She led the acting Minister of Magic to the Spell Archives where the three were hard at work with more research. As he entered the room, the archivist said, "Please let me know if I can be of any assistance, Minister" and left the room.

The three young wizards rose as Kingsley entered the room. They all shook his hand. He asked "How is it going?"

"Slow" Ginny replied. Kingsley looked around the huge room in wonder.

"I can imagine" he replied.

"Is there any news about Hermione?" Ron asked anxiously.

"There is" Kingsley answered. "Please sit down." They all took seats at the long wooden table.

"Hermione has not regained her memory yet. The Healer has done all he can for her right now, although he is also continuing to research. However, she is physically well enough to leave the hospital."

"Great!" Ron exclaimed and jumped out of his seat. "I'll let Mum know, we can take her to the Burrow!"

"Please, Ron" Kingsley said, "Wait a moment." Ron sat back down, his face starting to go pale anticipating the bad news. "She still thinks you are enemies. She will not go with any of you. The Malfoys are taking her home to the Manor."

Ron shot up from his chair and lost his mind. "_**NO FUCKING WAY**_!" he howled at the Minister of Magic.

"Ron!" Ginny yelled, shocked by her brother's outburst.

"GINNY!" he shouted back at her, "You weren't there! You didn't hear her screams! They FUCKING tortured her there, and now he's" Ron flung his hand towards Kingsley and pointed "He's sending her BACK THERE _WITH_ THEM!"

Kingsley stood and faced Ron. "Mr. Weasley" he began strongly, "I understand your frustration, but we have no other choice."

"DAMN IT – I'd rather see her sleeping on the STREET than send her back there!" Ron shouted.

"Maybe you would prefer that, Mr. Weasley" Kingsley was starting to sound cold, "But what would she choose?" Ron slowly sat back down, still seething, his face white with rage. Kingsley was right, he thought. However, if a Malfoy presented himself in that room at that moment, Ron could have easily killed. He left the archive that night seething with anger, hatred, and worst of all, still powerless to help the girl he loved.

* * *

The next morning, Healer Barnabus shook Hermione's hand as she stood at the elevator. "Hermione, I promise I will keep researching counter spells. I will send you an owl once a week to update you. I will also expect you to reply once a week and keep me appraised on your condition."

"Thank you" Hermione said.

"Ready?" Narcissa asked brightly. Even having to take the girl with them, she was still happy to be returning home.

"Ready" Hermione said. They got in the elevator and left the hospital.


	5. Chapter 5

At The Manor

The group apperated on the grounds of Malfoy Manor. They all watched Hermione closely, trying to gauge her reaction at seeing the Manor again. She appraised the house and the grounds through slightly squinting eyes. "Wow" she said, "It is a big place." As they neared the Manor, Hermione clutched at Draco's hand. She was filling with a sense of dread and she wasn't quite sure why. She shivered as they entered the great hall.

"Hermione dear," said Narcissa, "Why don't I show you to your room?" Hermione just nodded and followed Narcissa up the huge main staircase.

"This will never work" Lucius hissed at Draco as he dragged him into the entrance parlor. "Did you see her face? She knows what happened here!"

"Don't worry about it" Draco told his father as he pulled his arm free. "I will handle it." He walked back to the staircase and followed the women up the stairs.

Narcissa opened a door and showed Hermione her room. "Oh" she breathed, "It's beautiful!" The room was decorated in shades of dark blue with creamy white accents. The walls were covered with subtly patterned dark blue silk. The carpet was a deep, soft, cream-colored plush. Two large floor to ceiling windows were set in the wall opposite the door. The windows both had large, cozy seating nooks built in. Hermione could already picture herself snuggled in there with a book on a rainy day. In between the windows was a fireplace around which a cream colored sofa and two armchairs were arranged. To their right was a large four poster bed, hung with blue silk curtains that matched the wall covering. The bed was covered with an off-white satin comforter and a bank of matching pillows. To their left was an arrangement of dressers and two doors. Narcissa proceeded to the closest door and opened it. It was a large walk-in closet, larger than her entire bedroom at home. Inside the closet was an assortment of clothes and shoes.

"Now, I only was able to pick up a few things for you. We will go shopping soon and get you whatever else you need." Hermione was astounded. The closet already held more clothes than she thought she could wear in six months.

"Oh, ok" was all she could say.

"And over here is your bathroom," Narcissa said, leading her to the other door. She opened the door and Hermione followed her in. The large room was tiled in white with blue accents. To her left was a huge claw foot bathtub. In the corner behind the bath tub was a large walk-in shower. To the right was a sink; at the end of the counter was a seated vanity area. The whole wall above that was covered with a mirror. The room was brightly lit by two large skylights set in the ceiling.

They walked back into the bedroom where a house elf was waiting for them. She was smaller than the house elves Hermione had known, and she was wearing a clean pink pillowcase. "Oh, there you are" Narcissa said. "Hermione, this is Lindy. She will be your personal elf while you are staying here."

Hermione felt slightly uncomfortable with having a personal servant. "Uh, Narcissa, that's alright. I don't need…"

"Nonsense! Of course you will need Lindy. She will take care of your room and clothes, and she is brilliant with hair and makeup." At this, Hermione unconsciously reached for her frizzy hair. "Oh, no, no, no! No offense meant dear. The war has taken its toll on all of us! And what girl couldn't use a little help?" Narcissa smiled brightly at her. "I'll leave you to get settled in then. If you need anything, ask Lindy!" Narcissa left the room.

Hermione wandered around the room a few minutes, trailing her fingers over all the luxurious surfaces. Finally Lindy spoke. "Miss Hermione, would you like to change?" Hermione realized she was wearing the torn clothing she had been wearing at the Battle of Hogwarts. They had been washed while she was in the hospital, but most of the stains remained. The bloodstains were especially visible.

"Oh. Yes, I think I will" and she started for the closet.

"No, Miss Hermione" Lindy stopped her. "Lindy will take care of your clothing" and the small elf went into the closet. Hermione heard her rummaging around and humming. After a couple minutes she emerged, carrying clothes. "This will best suit Miss Hermione today" and she laid the clothes on the large cream colored upholstered bench at the foot of the bed. There was a deep red sleeveless blouse, a light, floaty light brown skirt that would fall just below her knees, and a pair of sandals that laced up her ankles. It was a perfect outfit for the spring day. She removed her stained, torn jeans and shirt and dressed in the new clothes.

"Now for hair," said Lindy, "Please sit, Miss Hermione." Hermione sat on the bench and Lindy climbed on the bed behind her. She felt the elf moving her hands around her hair and muttering under her breath. After five minutes, she said "Lindy is done!" Hermione stood and went to the mirror over the dresser. Her usually out of control brown hair was sleek and pulled back into a casual chignon. There were curled tendrils falling around her face. The hairstyle perfectly complimented the clothes she wore.

"Oh, Lindy!" she said, "It's beautiful! Thank you!"

"Yes Miss Hermione" Lindy said, "Lindy has been trained as lady's maid since she was born!" she boasted proudly. Just then there was a knock on the door. Lindy opened the door. "Hello, Master Draco" she said as he stepped into the room. When he saw Hermione, he stopped. Wow, he thought. She looked good. No traces of the buck toothed, frizzy haired girl from Hogwarts remained.

"I thought you might like a tour" he said to Hermione.  
"Sure" she said, as she walked to him, "That sounds great." He took her hand and led her into the hallway. They started walking in the opposite direction she had come to the room, away from the main staircase. "Don't we have to go this way?" she asked, pointing over her shoulder.

"No" Draco said, "We are using another staircase. Closer to the back of the house. It's such a nice day; I thought I'd show you the gardens."

"Ah," she replied, "That sounds lovely!" They walked together, and as they descended the stairs, Draco once again watched her closely, as best he could, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. The one time she had been here before, she had only seen the front grounds, the entrance hall and the ballroom where Bellatrix had….his thoughts trailed off. He was trying to avoid letting her see any of those areas just yet. They went through a back door and out into a small porch overlooking the gardens behind the house.

The sight made Hermione stop in her tracks and her mouth gaped open. She had been to France with her parents, and toured the Palace at Versailles. The Malfoy gardens seemed a perfect miniature of those royal gardens. The garden extended at least the full length of a Quiddich pitch. The grass in front of then was planted in ornamental patterns, and crushed beige stone created paths through the designs. At the far end of the garden was a large fountain, with a huge water spray jetting up from the mouth of an intricately carved dragon. From here Hermione could already see each scale individually carved. At the boundaries of the garden, more beige stone paved the ground, and small decorative trees were planted in three precise rows lining the border. Some of the trees were cone shaped evergreens, some were rounded hedges. But, as a special touch of the magical family that owned these gardens, all of these trees were made of emerald colored crystal! These shimmering trees waved in the breeze, just as any other tree would. Instead of rustling leaves, as the branches of these crystal trees moved, they sang like wind chimes. The moving of the crystal caused dazzling sparkles of sunlight and rainbows to dance through the garden. "I've never seen anything so beautiful" she breathed.

"It is wonderful, isn't it?" Draco smiled. Having lived here all his life, it was easy to take such a thing for granted. Now, seeing her delight in these spectacular grounds, he felt a new sense of appreciation for them. "Let's walk" he said still holding her hand, he lead her down the steps into the magical garden. They walked slowly along the paths. Hermione was quiet and often paused and turned her face to the sun, smiling slightly.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked her, after she had done this the third time.

"I am feeling the sun, and the warmth, and the calm." she told him. "After all the last years of chaos, darkness and misery, it feels so good to just stop and breathe, and feel the sun, and not be afraid." He stared at her while her eyes were closed. If you only knew, he thought, now starting to feel miserable inside. How much of that agony I caused, caused you, he berated himself. A small tear slipped from one closed eye down her cheek and he brushed it away with his thumb. You love her, you love her, he thought to himself.

"That's all over now" he whispered and pulled her closer, embracing her. She relaxed into his arms briefly and then pulled away.

"Yes, even though things didn't turn out the way we wanted, it is all finally over, isn't it." They continued walking in silence until they reached the dragon fountain.

"This fountain used to be three merpeople" Draco told her. "After I was born, and named Draco, my father had it replaced with this dragon"

"Impressive" Hermione said, smiling at him.

"Yes, my father was happy to have a boy to carry on the name. And my mother, well, she had lost four pregnancies before I was born, so she was thrilled that I lived."

"Oh, that must have been so hard for her" Hermione said, feeling a deep sympathy for Narcissa.

"Blood purity, you know" Draco said.

"What?" Hermione asked him.

"Blood purity. It has been so important to the families that still claim to have it. The pure blood lines are dying out or mixing with m-" he stopped himself and said "Muggle borns" .Close one, the thought. "The remaining pure blood families are now mostly related. Sometimes too closely related. There have been a lot of problems with children. Many women struggle with losing babies; miscarriages, still births, birth defects. It hasn't been easy."

"Draco, that's horrible." She said sadly. "You have to realize this can't continue? Even the most pureblooded families must realize that without new, strong blood, the lines will die out?"

"I think that they are coming to realize this" he said. "But like most things, change comes slowly." and he started walking again. He led her off behind the fountain and to the right. "Now, close your eyes, I want to show you something very special!" She did as he said and he took both her hands and took her away from the fountain. After about a minute of walking this way, he dropped her hands, and stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Open!" he said. She did and took in a sharp breath, another beautiful surprise greeted her. An entire garden of hedges, trimmed in the shapes of magical creatures! She could see a small hippogriff, three species of dragons, a family of merpeople, a flock of pixies, and many others that she couldn't identify.

"It's wonderful!" she laughed. They toured through the menagerie; her naming the beasts she was familiar with, and him telling her about the other beasts and describing their behavior. Some of the creatures sounded so fantastic that several times she accused him, "Oh, stop! You are making that up!" and Draco swore on Merlin's beard that he was completely serious; that the Horntoothed Snaggler really did spawn creatures that caused girls hair to tangle, that the breath of the Dejavuud really did cause you to have that feeling that you had lived this moment before. They laughed and ran through the menagerie like two carefree children. As they rounded what Draco claimed was a ToeNibbling Water Sprite, they saw Lindy standing in the garden.

"Mistress Narcissa says it's time to prepare for dinner" she told them.

"Oh, alright" Hermione said. She pulled Draco to her and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you at dinner then!" She smiled at him, pointed at the Water Sprite, and said "I know you made THAT one up!" and walked away with Lindy, still laughing. He watched her leave, a slow smile spreading across his face. He shook his head slightly and then followed them into the house.

When Hermione arrived back in her room, Lindy handed her a cream colored silk dressing gown. "I have already drawn Miss Hermione's bath, put this on." Hermione did as she was told and gave the clothes she had been wearing to Lindy. "When you are done bathing, Lindy will come and do hair and makeup" she told Hermione.

"Ok" Hermione said and walked to the bathroom. When she entered, she smelled the most heavenly scent she could have imagined. It was as if she had walked into a hothouse filled with the most exotic smelling flowers on earth. She realized the scent was coming from her bathtub and she quickly shed the robe and got into the tub. The water was the perfect temperature and felt soft on her skin. The exotic scents wafted up from the water every time she moved. She felt like she could stay in this tub forever. After she was done, she emerged from the tub, dried with the towel Lindy had left, and put the robe back on. She called to Lindy, "Ok, I'm done".

Lindy entered the room and instructed Hermione to sit at the vanity table. She pulled up a stool behind her and again started moving her hands around her hair. This time Hermione could see what the elf was doing and she was amazed. The elf was barely touching her hair, but each strand seemed to fall in place as she moved her hands over it. When she was finished, her hair was dressed in an elegant style, the front pulled back into an intricate braid that rested on a mass of flowing curls down her back. Then Lindy moved to stand on the vanity table in front of Hermione. "Makeup now" Lindy said.

Hermione started to protest, "Oh, no, really, that's alright. I'm not a makeup type of girl."

Lindy looked devastated. Her large grey eyes began to well up with tears. She started to wail, "But Lindy is a lady's maid! Lindy must be of service to her lady! Why do you find such fault with Lindy!" she twisted one corner of her pillowcase dress and wiped her eyes.

"OK, Ok!" Hermione said, "Do my makeup then!"

Lindy gave a great watery sniff and smiled, "You must have every confidence in Lindy, Miss Hermione. Lindy knows what she is doing! Close your eyes please!" Hermione did as she was told and felt Lindy's hands move quickly over her face. After about a minute, Lindy said, "Open your eyes Miss Hermione!" and she did.

She was amazed by what she saw. The Hermione Granger she had seen staring back from the mirror every day was gone. In her place was a beautiful woman, who seemed to slightly resemble Hermione. The expertly done makeup made her face flawless. Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks bloomed. The subtle lipstick made her mouth look soft and pink. "Oh, Lindy," she whispered. "I guess you do know what you're doing." She went to the bedroom and put on the dress Lindy had selected. It was dark blue satin, a shade deeper than the decoration of her room. It had small cap sleeves and a slight scoop neck. A sash of matching blue satin cinched the dress at the waist, and it fell just to her knees in a soft line. Lindy helped her put on silver slippers and some matching sliver jewelry. Hermione went to the full length mirror in her closet and was amazed by the woman she saw there. She felt more beautiful than she ever had, even at the Yule Ball, she thought. Then her brain stopped in its tracks. The Yule Ball, she thought. When was that? Hogwarts, yes. Fourth year, I went with that awful foreigner. And I was mad, about something. Something to do with the Weasel for some reason. Probably another scheme he and Potter had been plotting, she thought and turned away from the mirror, feeling a little sad for no particular reason.

"The Master and Mistress are in the dining salon" Lindy told her.

"Where is that?" Hermione asked. "Can you show me?"

Lindy laughed. "Oh, no Miss Hermione. A house elf showing her presence in one of the grand salons? Unthinkable! Go down the main staircase and turn left. The dining salon will be that way." With a "Crack" Lindy disapperated to where ever she went when she wasn't tending to Hermione. Hermione shrugged to herself and left the room, following Lindy's directions. As she descended the staircase into the main hall, the feeling of dread clenched her stomach again. Something is very wrong here, she felt. She had an almost overpowering urge to run screaming out the front door, to run as fast as she could and never look back. What is this? she thought as she turned left at the bottom of the staircase. She could hear voices up ahead and she followed them to the dining salon.

The room was decorated in white and gold. There were white sofas and chairs trimmed in gold braid tastefully arranged around a large fireplace. There were tables beside most of the chairs and a large cabinet against one wall. A huge crystal chandelier threw dancing light throughout the room. Draco stood as she entered. "You look stunning!" he said, and he meant it. If someone would have told him a month ago, he would be practically slobbering over Granger in his own house, he would have probably Crucioed them. Now, well, just look at her, her thought. "Hermione" he smiled at her and met her at the doorway and offered his elbow. She rested her arm in the crook of his and he escorted her to a chair. "Can I get you a drink?" he asked.

"Whatever you're having, please" she answered. Narcissa and Lucius were sitting on the sofa opposite her. Narcissa was smiling, but Lucius looked as if he smelled something foul.

"Hermione, you look lovely" Narcissa said.

Hermione thanked her as Draco handed her her drink and sat next to her. They all sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes.

"Draco showed me the gardens today" Hermione spoke up. "They are works of art" she complimented.

"Oh thank you" said Narcissa. "It is a lot of maintenance, but the beauty is worth the cost. Isn't that right dear?" she turned and addressed her husband.

"Oh yes" he said looking at Narcissa, "Quite worth it".

A small bell chimed from the adjoining room. "Dinner is served!" Narcissa said and they all followed her into the dining room. It too was decorated in white and gold, but this room also had accents of deep crimson red. A long dining table dominated the room, and there was huge marble fireplace along one wall. After what had happened in here, Narcissa had had the room completely redecorated as part of the preparation for Hermione joining their household. Although Hermione had never been in this room, the memories were too much for Narcissa to ever consider eating in here again the way it was.

Draco motioned Hermione to a chair to the right of the head of the table and pulled it out for her. She thanked him and sat down. He took a seat beside her. Lucius sat at the head of the long table, Narcissa sat to his left. The food was delicious, but the conversation was strained. This was the first time they had all gathered together for any period of time. They ate mostly in silence. Narcissa tried occasionally to spark a conversation, but the small talk soon died out. After dinner, she asked Hermione if she would like to join them for a digestif, but Hermione declined, claiming fatigue. Draco also declined and escorted Hermione back to her room. As they entered the main hall, again Hermione felt her stomach clench and she gripped Draco's arm fiercely.

"Something is wrong here" she whispered to him. She didn't even feel safe talking in this room.

"It's alright" he whispered back. "Nothing will hurt you here" he assured her. Well, not ever again, he pledged to himself. You love her, you love her, he repeated to himself as he patted the hand on his arm reassuringly. He left her at the door of her room, kissed her cheek and they said their goodnights.

Lindy was waiting for Hermione in her room. The elf helped her change into a soft cotton nightgown, and Hermione settled into the large, comfortable bed and fell asleep quickly. Lindy turned off the lights and left her to sleep.

Draco was lying awake, staring at the ceiling in his bedroom. What is going on here? he wondered to himself for about the one hundredth time since dinner. His mind kept picking apart the afternoon he spent with Granger, analyzing the details, reliving every moment she had touched him. She was so damn easy to be with, he thought. He never expected this. He was replaying the moment when they ran into Lindy, when he was just about to pull her close and kiss her when he heard the screams. He leapt from his bed and sprinted down the hallway, slamming her bedroom door open. She was sitting up in her bed, still screaming. He jumped on to her bed and crushed her to him. He called her name a few times before she finally woke up.

"Draco!" she screamed. "It happened here, didn't it? This!" she shoved the arm of her nightgown up to her elbow and he saw the awful scars from that night. "In THIS HOUSE!"

"Draco?" Narcissa called softly from the doorway.

"It's alright mother. Go back to bed" he told her. She nodded once and walked away.

He took her by her upper arms and pushed her away slightly so he could look into her eyes. He couldn't lie to her, not about this. But he didn't want to scare her away either. He took a deep breath and chose his words carefully.

"Yes, Hermione. That happened here. In this house. That's why the Great Hall frightens you. Probably the ballroom will feel that way too. That's where it actually happened." He kept watching her eyes, readying himself for her to bolt from the room. He'd be dammed if he'd let her leave now.

"Why?" she whispered, terror in her voice.

"Bellatrix" he said, "You know how crazy she was. She thought you had taken something from her, something important, something to help Potter and Weasley. She wanted to know how you got it, and you wouldn't tell her. So she….." he couldn't finish.

"She tortured me" Hermione said in a trembling voice. "And you watched."

"I couldn't stop it, Hermione! She was so powerful, and crazy! And it wasn't just her there, there were others. Any one of them would have easily killed us both."

She took a deep trembling breath and closed her eyes. "You're right, I know you are" and she collapsed back into his arms, still shaking.

"It's over now" he said. "Nothing like that will ever happen to you again" he pushed her back again so he could look into her eyes. "I swear it."

She smiled weakly and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. She reached out to him and stroked his cheek with her fingertips. "You need a shave" she told him.

"Tomorrow" he said as he pulled her hand from his cheek and kissed her fingertips. You love her, you love her. She lay back down on the bed and he climbed off and held her hand for a minute. "Hey, if you need me again, just holler ok?" They laughed.

"Ok. Good night Draco" she said.

"Good night Hermione" and he went back to his bedroom.

* * *

Later that night, Draco woke suddenly from his own dream. But in this one, he was kissing Hermione fervently. Just before he jerked awake, he had said, "I love you, Hermione". He sat in his bed with his head in his hands.

"Oh no." was all he said.


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione woke to the delicious smell of coffee and sat up to see Lindy with a cup of coffee in her hand. Hermione rose from her bed and sipped the coffee as she dressed in the clothes Lindy chose for her. Lindy styled her hair, straight today, with the sides again pulled back out of her face. She gave Hermione directions to the informal dining room where breakfast would be served and disapperated. Hermione left her bedroom and found Draco waiting for her in the hallway.

"Good Morning" he said to her. Lindy had done some amazing work again, but Hermione still looked tired, he thought.

"Good morning" she replied. The small smile on her lips didn't reach her eyes. They looked drained and sad. He reached for her hand as they walked towards the main staircase.

"Bad night?" he asked.

She drew a wavering breath and sniffed, and nodded. She didn't trust herself to talk and not start sobbing again. The terrible memory had haunted her dreams all night and she gave up trying to sleep around 4am. She had managed to doze off just as the sun was rising. They descended the stairs together, moving slowly. At the bottom step, Draco pulled her hand to quickly move her out of this place, when she stopped. "I need to face this if I want to get over it" she told him.

"Are you sure?" he asked her. She nodded. He dropped her hand.

The main hall was an enormous room that ran almost the entire length of the manor. All the rooms of the manor were arranged on either side of this hall, there were no rooms above it. The top of the hall extended to the roof of the manor. The main staircase rose up in the middle of the hall to meet the upper floors. The hall was lined with old portraits of wizards and witches punctuated with mirrors in ornate gold frames. There were tables against the walls in between the doorways. These tables were scattered with all kinds of antiques, small sculptures, and exotic wizarding artifacts. Hermione slowly walked through the hall towards the front door.

Draco gave her a little space, enough for her to move, but he stayed close enough to grab her and hold her should she break down. He could hear her rapid breathing and saw her hands shake as she touched some of the objects on the tables. She reached the front door and turned around. She saw the Manor as she had seen it that day, from this same spot. She stood there; it felt like hours, just looking around. He stood at her side. "Any better?" he asked softly. She didn't look at him; she just narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

"No. Not really" she said. It wasn't as frightening, but anger was now welling up inside her. What exactly had happened here? She felt there was probably more to it than Draco's explanation last night. It will come out eventually, she thought. "Let's go to breakfast" she said to him and she followed him to the informal dining room, but did not hold his hand.

The informal dining room was a small room near the main dining room. There was a round table that could seat 8 people. It was covered with a white linen tablecloth and a basket of flowers was placed in the exact center of the table. The room itself was slightly rounded and the back wall of the room was almost all windows to let in the most morning sunlight possible. If the sun had been shining today. The beautiful spring weather they had yesterday had retreated and today was rainy and chilly. Breakfast appeared on the table as soon as they sat down. Hermione found a plate of eggs and sausages in front of her. A bowl of fresh fruit appeared alongside the plate and a small pot of coffee appeared as well. Narcissa and Lucius must have already eaten, as they did not join Hermione and Draco. The two ate breakfast mostly in silence, each absorbed in their thoughts.

She, thinking about the nightmare last night and trying to reconcile what had happened to her here. They had been her friends, she thought, we were on the same side. Why would they do that, she wondered over and over. He, replaying his own dream of kissing her and declaring his love, a much sweeter memory than hers, but still terrifying to Draco at the same time. And that dammed look on her face today, he thought. She looked like someone had killed her puppy. Yesterday she had been happy, and now, today, he hated seeing that look on her face. He needed to make her smile again. He knew exactly how to do it, too.

"Come with me" he said after she had finished her breakfast. "I have the perfect thing for you today." He grabbed her hand as they left the dining room, turning left away from the main stairs. They took another left, into another wing of the manor. "Wait here one second" he told her as he ran ahead around a corner. She heard what sounded like a set of double doors closing. He came back to her and took her around the corner and stood in front of the doors.

"Hermione Granger," he began grandly as he turned the handles of the doors, "I give you The Malfoy Manor Library." He swept the doors open and gestured her inside. She entered the library and stopped, staring in wonder. This room, like the main hall, had no second story above it. The ceiling of the library was the roof of the manor. Directly in front of the door was a seating area that extended to the fireplace in the opposite wall. Two leather sofas faced each other, a table in between them. There were four overstuffed leather armchairs arranged here, and a large carved desk sat near the fireplace on the far wall. The entire wall to the left was made of windows.

To her right were the books. Oh, the books, she sighed to herself. There were four huge bookshelves that rose to the ceiling built in the middle of the room. The other walls of the room were also lined with the same bookshelves. Tall moving staircases were placed in front of each stack in order to allow someone to reach the very top of the shelves.

"So?" he asked, "What do you think?"

She couldn't speak; she could barely believe her eyes. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. "You have this in your house and you're couldn't beat my socks off at school?" was all she could think to say.

Draco laughed until he was coughing. "Hermione, that is classic you!" he said between fits. She began to wander off into the stacks. He reached for her hand and stopped her, just for a moment.

"Hey" he said, "It's all yours on one condition."

"Name it" she said, distractedly. She would give him literally anything to have possession of this room.

"Don't get so caught up in here that I have to come drag you out for mealtimes" he laughed.

"Oh, ok, I won't" she said in a far away voice, looking longingly at the stacks.

He laughed again, "Alright, the card catalog is in the corner by the fireplace. Have fun!" he said, and she wandered away. As he left the room, he pointed his new wand at the fireplace and said "Incendio" and a cheerful fire bloomed. Not nearly as cheerful as he felt through. He had made her happy again. I could get used to this, he thought as he left her in the library.

* * *

Three Weeks Later

The weekly owl from Barnabus arrived on schedule. He had included a list of spells, and Narcissa sat with Hermione in small, pink parlor and attempted the memory charms on the girl. Nothing changed, as had happened the previous three weeks. Hermione growled in frustration and began pacing the room. "I don't understand why we have to keep trying, Narcissa" she said. "I still don't feel like anything is wrong with me, why can't we just leave it at that?"

"Hermione, dear, you may not feel like anything is wrong now, but once we find the correct counter-spell, and you realize" she stopped, searching for the right word

"Realize what?" Hermione asked. Always this, this choosing of words whenever they discussed her memory. She was convinced there were dangers lurking in her memory. Dangers for whom, though?

"Once you find your real memories, you'll realize how much better you'll feel" Narcissa finished. Draco came in the room.

"Any luck?" he asked anxiously from the door way. Anxious, because, to be honest to himself, he didn't want it to work. When she got her memory back and remembered what he actually was to her, she would leave him.

"No" Hermione said as she walked to him, "Let's get out of here." Draco gladly obliged her and took her to the gardens. Narcissa watched them leave, her heart sinking. She had been watching them over the last three weeks, although they didn't know it. Like any two young people in love, they thought they were the only people on earth. She had seen the longing looks exchanged, the hand holding, and had even caught them snogging a few times, though they hadn't seen her. She had been able to read her son since he was born and she knew exactly what was happening here. She left the pink parlor to find Lucius. He was in his study, going over some papers from his office.

"Lucius, I need to speak to you." she said as she swept into the room, closing the door behind her.

"Cissy" he began, and she gave him a deadly look. "Narcissa," he corrected, "I really have to get this finished and back to London today, can't it wait?"

"No, Lucius, it cannot wait." He sighed, and was still looking at the papers in his hand.

"What is it then?" he asked his wife.

"It's Draco" she said

"What about Draco?" he said. "He is getting along with that girl isn't he?"

"Lucius!" she exclaimed "You haven't any idea do you? Of course he's getting along with her; he's fallen in love with her!"

"Well, wasn't that what he was supposed to do, make it seem real?"

"It doesn't just seem real, you idiot, it has become real! For him as well as her! Draco is in love with her!"

"Oh" Lucius said, finally understanding. He put his papers down on the desk and gave his wife his full attention.

"'Oh' is that all you can say, 'Oh'? This is an absolute disaster. He will be heartbroken when she regains her memory and leaves him. Do you think after everything our family has done, she will ever want to see him again?"

"He'll get over it Narcissa" Lucius told her, "He will have to either way. He knows he cannot marry someone of her breeding. Draco is meant for better things than her. He's just a boy, he will forget her."

"And if he doesn't Lucius? What then? What if he does decide he wants to marry her?"

"He knows that I will never allow it! I will disown him before I see a mudblood married into this family!" Lucius stood and thundered at his wife.

"Well, my dear," she said coldly, "that's just what might happen if you force him to choose. Congratulations Lucius, the plot you have schemed to save your family might be the very thing that tears it apart!" she turned on her heel and strode out of the room.

At lunch the next day, Narcissa handed Draco and Hermione each a thick parchment envelope. "These came for you by owl post today" she said. Hermione turned hers over and saw the familiar seal on the back.

"Hogwarts." she said and looked at Draco.

"Mine too" he said. They opened their letters and read in silence.

"Dear Miss Granger,

Due to the extenuating circumstances surrounding this last academic year, a decision has been made by the Hogwarts staff. All students who were to have finished their seventh year of instruction this summer are to be given one of the following options to complete their education.

Option One – you may return to Hogwarts this fall for an eighth year to complete your instruction with the school. If you desire this option, a list of supplies and books needed is enclosed. Please report to Platform 9 ¾ on 1 September no later than 10 o'clock am.

Option Two – A special remedial session of Nastily Exhausting Wizard Tests will be scheduled at Hogwarts on 15 September at 9 o'clock am. If you are prepared, you may complete all your N.E.W.T. testing on that day.

Please send a return post indicating your choice by 1 August.

Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress,

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry"

"Wow" whispered Hermione as she looked at Draco. "What are you going to do?" she asked him.

"What are you going to do?" he asked back.

"I don't know" she said. "As much as I loved school, I was getting used to the idea of being done" she said. "And going back, it would be hard, wouldn't it? I mean, after everything that has happened? The war is over, but do you think all the lines will still be drawn? Friends and enemies? Could we get over it all?" she contemplated aloud. She looked at Draco. "I think I want to just take the N.E.W.T.'s. I can't face another year at Hogwarts."

"I feel the same. Study partners, then?" he asked her.

"Of course!" she said. After lunch they left for the library, and spent most of their time the next few days there, only leaving to go to Diagon Alley to pick up books the library didn't have and supplies to practice Potions.

* * *

Harry, Ginny and Ron entered Widdershins after another day of exhaustive research. Every day they worked so hard and yet were no closer to getting Hermione back.

"Post for you" Wilma Widdershins announced as they entered the lobby. Ron went to the counter and picked up the familiar envelope that held the weekly update from Barnabus and started for the stairs.

"Oh, these too dear," Wilma said and held out three more envelopes. Ron returned to the desk, took the envelopes, thanked her and the three went up to their rooms.

"Hogwarts!" exclaimed Ginny when Ron had handed her her post.

"Me too" said Harry, examining his envelope.

"Yeah, mine too" said Ron.

"Why are you two getting Hogwarts letters?" Ginny asked. "You're done, aren't you?"

"I dunno" replied Ron, tearing his letter open.

"Blimey!" he exclaimed after reading his. "Another year? Is that what yours says Harry?"

"Yep. Another year or N.E.W.T.s in September" he answered.

"Really, Harry?" Ginny asked, her cheeks beginning to flush pink with excitement. "We could finish our last year at Hogwarts together?"

"Looks that way" he grinned back at her.

"I'm going back too" said Ron. "I'll never pass any N.E.W.T.s without finishing seventh year. You think Hermione got this letter too?" he asked.

"Probably" said Harry. "It addresses all students in seventh year last year."

"What do you think she'll do?" Ron asked.

"You know how much she loves school" Harry said, "Can you imagine her turning down a chance for another year?"

"No, guess not!" Ron said, smiling at the thought of spending another year at Hogwarts with Hermione, this time as boyfriend and girlfriend.

"What does Barnabus say?" Ginny asked, pointing to the other letter Ron still held.

"Right" he said and broke the seal on the parchment. He read for a minute, scanning the contents. "No luck. Again" he said, disappointment in his voice.

"We're never going to get it right are we?" he asked, frustrated. "Every spell we try has no effect on her memory! What if she never comes back?" he asked.

"Wait a minute!" Ginny said slowly. "Barnabus said that she seems to have her memory, right? I mean she is remembering things that happened. She doesn't understand why a lot of these things happened, but she does remember, right?"

"Yeah, so?" Ron asked.

"And the memory charms have absolutely no effect on her, at all? What if it's not her memory that was cursed? It's something else!" Ginny said, starting to sound excited.

"You could be right, Ginny" Harry began. "It's not her memory, it's, it's…" he broke off, trying to think of the right word. "Her _loyalty_ that changed! She thinks she is loyal to the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters!"

Ginny picked up on Harry's thought, "What if Rowle never meant to curse her? He was dying, right? So, what if it was more like a dying declaration of loyalty to Voldermort, but as he said it, he managed to point his wand at Hermione and it had the effect of a curse?!"

"Bloody brilliant!" Ron shouted. "You two together are almost as good as one Hermione!"

"First thing tomorrow we can start researching loyalty spells in the archives" Ginny said.

"We **are** going to get her back!" Ron said.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

For the next three days, Harry, Ginny and Ron researched loyalty spells, rather than memory charms. Looking in the huge leather indices, they found some candidate spells that looked promising. Phineus Burbage joined in their excitement as he bounced around the archive, collecting the parchments they requested.

They studied the documents for hours. Finally, after lunch on the third day, Ginny approached Harry and quietly said, "I think I've found something." She wanted to get Harry's opinion before she got Ron's hopes up.

"Let me take a look" said Harry.

As she handed him the ancient book she explained to him, "It's a charm from the middle ages. It was used during wizarding wars to repair loyalty bonds that had been broken by magical means."

"Sounds like what happened to Hermione, alright" he said as he studied the spell.

"But," Ginny said, "The spell has to be performed by someone who the subject was loyal to in the first place. Otherwise it won't work."

"So we have to go to the Manor" Harry said. Ginny nodded.

"But will Hermione let us perform any kind of spell on her?" Ginny asked. "She hates us."

Ron came around the corner and saw the two talking in hushed tones. "What's up?" he asked suspiciously.

"Ginny thinks she might have found a spell to help Hermione. I think she's right," Harry told him.

"Excellent!" Ron was almost jumping up and down. "Let's get this to Barnabus right away!"

"Hold up a minute Ron," Harry stopped his friend. "There's a catch. This spell has to be performed by someone she was loyal to before she was cursed. Barnabus can't do it; it has to be one of us. That means we will have to go to the Manor and deal with the Malfoys. And we will have to get Hermione to cooperate with us."

"Look," Ron said, "I'm sure the bloody Malfoys are as anxious to be rid of her as we are to have her back. You bet they'll convince her to let us try."

"Which one of us should do it then?" asked Harry.

"She's been angry at me loads more than she has at you" Ron said, "Guess you'd better give it a go."

"So when do we leave?" asked Ginny.

"No time like the present," Harry told the group.

"Oh good luck!" Phineus Burbage told them as he shook Harry's hand. "Please be careful, and if there's anything else I can do, let me know!"

Ginny hugged the archivist. "Thank you, Phineus. You have been a great help to us these last few weeks."

The group made the long trek back to the lobby of the Ministry. "How should we get there?" asked Ron. "Floo?"

"No" said Harry, "If we fall out of a fireplace in a room where Hermione is, she's liable to run off and refuse to come back. We Apperate to the grounds and knock on the door. Try to talk to one of the Malfoys first."

They went to the Apperation point outside the Ministry, held hands and Harry disapperated them all. They arrived at the Manor and rang the front bell. A house elf answered the door.

"We'd like to speak to Draco Malfoy, please" Harry told the elf.

"State your business" he replied, gruffly.

"We are here to help our friend, Hermione Granger," Ron said, looking like he was ready to punt the elf back down the main hall and force his way into the house. Harry put his arm up and gave Ron a gentle push back.

"One moment please," the elf said and slammed the door.

"Great manners," Ron muttered under his breath.

"Just keep cool," Harry said. "We have to play this their way if we want to even get in the door."

Hermione and Draco were in the library studying, again. They spent most of their days secluded in the room. Narcissa was standing outside the doors; as had been her occasional habit, making sure that studying was all they did. She heard sporadic laughter from the room, but nothing more.

The house elf, Reever approached the library door.

"What is it?" Narcissa asked him.

"Visitors for Master Draco" Reever told his mistress.

"Who is it?" she inquired of the elf.

"Reever does not know. Three young ones, two red haired."

Narcissa's heart sank. If Harry Potter and two Weasleys were here, it must mean they had found something they were convinced would help Hermione. She feared her son's heart would be broken by the end of this day.

"Wait until I am gone before you disturb them" Narcissa commanded the elf, and slipped away. Once she had turned the corner, Reever knocked on the door.

Draco blew an irritated breath and left the desk to answer it. When he saw the elf he said, in his best imperious Malfoy tone, "I told everyone we were not to be disturbed."

"There's visitors for you Master Draco" Reever said, nervously twisting his pillowcase. "Three young ones, red haired, two of them."

So the Weasels and Potter were here. What do they want, he thought, feeling irritation and a small wave of fear pass through him. "Be right back, Hermione," he called to the girl in the stacks.

He heard her faint reply "Ok," and followed Reever to the front door.

"What do you lot want then?" he asked as they stood on the front steps. Draco didn't bother to invite them in.

"We think we've found the spell to help Hermione," Ron said. He tried puffing up his chest and looked as menacing as someone with red hair and freckles can, Draco thought.

"Why not send it to Barnabus?" Draco asked, "He's her healer."

"Because it has to be done by….Look, can we just come in?" Harry asked impatiently.

Draco stood back wordlessly and held the door open, gesturing for them to enter the main hall. He pointed to the entrance parlor directly to their right. They sat down and Harry explained their discovery. Ron just sat and glared at Draco, and Ginny was too intimidated by the lavish surroundings of the Manor to do much more than try not to gawk.

"So you really think this will work?" Draco asked, skeptically. "Hasn't Barnabus already tried something like this?"

"He's tried memory charms, they're not the same. Her memory works fine, it's her loyalty that changed," Harry explained, again, starting to feel frustration build. Geez, he thought, didn't Malfoy want her out of their house?

"What are the side effects?" Draco asked. "Are we going to have an even bigger problem after you try this?" he demanded.

"We don't know," Ginny finally spoke up. "We found the spell in a book from the middle ages. There wasn't a lot of information in it."

Draco stood up, "Wait just a minute! You want to try some barbaric, medieval charm with unknown effects on…" he stopped himself. The girl I love…. "on Hermione? No way. Go test it on the Weasel first." Ron stood at the insult, but Harry backed him down with a look and a shake of his head.

"Yes, Draco, that is exactly what I want to do. Hermione is our best friend. Do you really think we would try something that would cause her more pain?" Harry said, looking Draco steadily in the eyes. Draco returned the gaze for a long minute, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You three stay here, I'll go get her," he said, eyes not leaving Harry's until he turned to leave the room.

"Hermione?" he called as he entered the library.

"Over here!" she called from the stacks. He moved to the sound of her voice and found her, sitting halfway up one of the moving staircases, a book in her lap. I may lose her today, he thought, and he felt a strange pressure against his chest. He took a deep, hitching breath that caught in his throat.

"Come over here," he said, gesturing to the seating area, "I want to talk to you" he said, gently.

"What's wrong?" she asked quickly. She could see on his face and hear in his voice that something was not right.

"Nothing is wrong," not yet, he added to himself, "there are some people here to see you," he said.

"To see me?" she asked. "Who's here to see me?" she asked again as they sat on one of the leather sofas.

"Someone who thinks they can help you, they think they have found the counterspell for the curse you are suffering."

"Is it Barnabus?" she asked excitedly. She liked the healer that had treated her at St. Mungo's and looked forward to seeing him again.

"No, not Barnabus," he said quietly.

She was beginning to get annoyed with him. "Then who is it?" she said exasperatedly.

"Potter and the two Weasleys" he said. She jumped off the sofa like a cat that had been doused with water.

"What the bloody hell are they doing here?" she shouted. "What do you mean they can help me, they're the ones that did this to me!"

He leapt to his feet and took her hands. "No, Hermione, they didn't do this to you. Thorfinn Rowle did this. They think he did it accidently, as he was dying in the courtyard at Hogwarts."

"Draco, what the hell!" she shouted at him, "Every damn time I remember something terrible that happened to me, you tell me a Death Eater did it. I thought we were all supposed to be on the same side," she sneered.

"Hermione," he said, still holding her hands, "Do you trust me?" he asked her softly and looked into her deep brown eyes. She looked back at him for a long minute as she considered this. She slowly nodded her head. "Then please let Potter try to help. I promise, nothing bad will happen to you."

"Will you stay with me, then, while he does this?" she asked, her voice quivering just slightly.

"Always," he said and squeezed her hands. She nodded slightly again and he led her back to the entrance parlor where Harry, Ron and Ginny were waiting. He walked slowly, knowing that if this worked, this was probably the last time he would ever hold her hand.

As she entered the parlor and saw the three people waiting for her, she pressed closer to him and gripped his hand tighter. The Weasel stood as she entered and looked at her like she was a steak. Good luck surviving that if this does work, Draco thought. They went to a small settee and sat, side by side, still holding hands.

"Potter," she said brusquely as a greeting.

"Hermione," he said kindly

"Let's just get this over with" she snapped. She squeezed Draco's hand and closed her eyes, her heart pounding. She took a deep breath as Harry pointed his wand at her and whispered, "Egome tibi fidelior".

The spell hit Hermione like a Bludger. Her body jerked back and her breath whooshed out of her in a slight scream. Her eyes flew open wide and met Ron's. She screamed his name and jumped from the settee into his arms. Draco could have sworn her feet didn't even touch the floor.

Ginny rose from her armchair, her hands clasped in front of her mouth and tears in her eyes.

Harry looked at his wand, stunned that it had actually worked.

Draco pressed his lips together and shook his head to himself slightly. He pushed himself off the settee and walked to Potter. He extended his hand. Harry looked at it for a moment then took it.

"Well done Potter" Draco said, and then slowly walked out of the room. Ron and Hermione saw none of this, they were too busy embracing and whispering to each other.

As Draco walked past them, he heard Ron say, "Come on, let's get you out of here." He didn't hear Hermione's muffled response. At the door of the parlor, Draco turned right towards the main staircase, and the others turned left towards the front door. When he reached the bottom step, he turned to watched them leave. She didn't even so much as look back. He slowly climbed the stairs and went to his room and gently closed the door and lay on his bed. After a few hours there was a soft knock.

"Draco?" It was his mother. "Are you all right?"

"Fine, Mother" he replied with no emotion.

"Will you be coming to dinner?" she asked, concerned.

"I'm not hungry" he told her.

"Call for me if you need anything" she told him and left for dinner.

He couldn't imagine ever being hungry again.

* * *

There was a loud "Crack" in the garden as four figures apperated at the Burrow. Ron shouted. "Mum! Hermione! She's back!"

Molly Weasley came running from the house and hugged the young witch close. "We have been so worried about you!" she said. "Are you alright?" she asked as she moved away from Hermione, looking her over. She looked amazing for someone who had been through the ordeal they all thought she must be suffering at the hands of the Malfoys.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Hermione assured Molly, hugging her again. Molly put her arm around Hermione and led her into the house.

"Let's get you something to eat!" Molly proclaimed, mothering her in the best way she knew how. Hermione felt that she was finally home.


	8. Chapter 8

The next few days went by in a blur for Hermione. There were visitors, so many who came to see her and wish her well. Molly Weasley hovered constantly, fussing over her, asking her if she wanted anything; something to eat, something to drink, did she want to take a nap, she even offered her a blanket at one point, though the days were warm and sunny. Harry and Ginny had enough sense to back off and give her some space, but Ron; that was another story. He was usually right behind his mother, asking the same questions, and always touching her; her hair, her hand, his arm around her shoulders or waist. After the peaceful month she had just spent at the Manor, all the noise and fuss at the Burrow was beginning to drive Hermione absolutely crazy.

After a week, Molly inadvertently sparked the explosion. Everyone else was outside helping in the garden. She would have been out there too, but no one would let her do any work. It was as if she had been physically ill for the last month and was still convalescing. She was sick and tired of being treated with kid gloves and her nerves were wearing thin. She just wanted to scream sometimes, "I'M FINE! PLEASE LEAVE ME BE!"

As Molly was preparing lunch, she said, "Hermione, we are all going to Diagon Alley next week to get supplies for Hogwarts, will you be joining us?"

"Uh," Hermione said and then stopped, looking around. As usual, Ron was hovering over her, his hand on her shoulder now. "I'm not going back for eighth year. I will just be taking the N.E.W.T.s in September."

"WHAT?" shouted Ron. "You have to go back, 'Mione, you love school!"

Again with the 'Mione, she thought. She absolutely hated the pet name and her hand just about itched to smack him every time he said it.

"No, Ron, I loved school, loved." she explained to him. "Besides, I already sent my owl to Professor McGonagall making my choice. I'm expected at the N.E.W.T.s ."

"But, I'm sure if you tell her you've changed your mind, she'd make an exception! Come on 'Mione, we are all going back and I don't want to be away from you another year!" Ron pleaded.

"Ron, I don't want to go!" she shot back. "I just want it to be over. I spent seven years fighting in and for Hogwarts. I just want to finally put it all behind me! I want to move on!"

"Move on from me too, then?" he asked her, sounding defensive. "That's where we met, where we got together. I was looking forward to spending the year there with you, 'Mione! So, what you just want to put me behind you too? We just got together and now you want to spend a year apart?" he was yelling at her now.

"Ron, I never said that!" she yelled back at him, "You're putting words in my mouth!" She stood up from the table. "I need to get out of here for a while!" and she stormed out the door. She started for the garden, but remembered it was already occupied. She strode off in the opposite direction and plopped herself down under a tree in a small meadow on the other side of the Burrow. What is happening, she wondered to herself. I love all of these people, and yet being here makes me want to jump out of my skin. I miss…..I miss the Manor, she admitted to herself.

Once the curse had been lifted, she still remembered everything that had happened in the month she stayed there. She wouldn't go into much detail about it though. When asked, she would only say that she had been treated very well, and provided a few small details. Everyone seemed mildly shocked. It was as if they had expected to hear that the Malfoys had kept her locked in a dungeon, feeding her bread crusts and water.

As for what happened between her and Draco… she wasn't exactly sure how to deal with that herself, let alone try to explain it to anyone else. After the curse lifted and she remembered what a menace he had been before and during the war, trying to reconcile those feelings with the ones she had felt for him during her time at the Manor was driving her out of her mind. Feeling like you love someone and hate them at the same time was mentally exhausting. Trying to hide that battle from people that were constantly hovering over you made it worse. And to make it her misery complete, here came Ron again, following her. Ugh, she thought, can I just have five minutes! Before she thought twice she pulled out her wand, concentrated on the Manor gardens and disapperated before Ron could reach her.

* * *

Draco sat hunched over his hands on a bench in the garden. He hadn't shaved in a few days and his clothes looked wrinkled. He stared at the sparkling patterns cast on the ground from the crystal trees. He was replaying in his mind the first day Hermione had been here and her amazement at seeing these gardens for the first time. And he missed her. He missed her every second of the day, awake and asleep. He knew she was better off with her friends, but he didn't care, he wanted her back so badly. He had just lowered his head and held it in his hands when he heard the "Crack" of apparition. And to his amazement, his wish came true; there she was, standing in his garden once again.

"Hermione!" he shouted and ran to her and grabbed her up in his arms. She hugged him back, but with much less ardor. "Why are you here?" he asked her.

"Hello Draco," she said backing out of the embrace. "Things were getting too loud and crazy at the Burrow. I needed some peace and quiet. You look like hell!"

He laughed. I suppose I do look like hell, he thought. "You are welcome to our peace and quiet any time. As for my looking like hell, I haven't been sleeping well" he told her.

"Why?" she asked, concern in her voice.

Because I miss you so badly it hurts, he thought. But he knew he couldn't say it. She was back with Weasley now, and he had to let her go.

"Because it's bloody difficult studying for N.E.W.T.s without my study partner" he told her instead.

"Oh, Draco, I'm so sorry! It's been so crazy at the Burrow, I forgot all about studying with you!" she apologized.

"Well, I am trying to manage on my own. But if I fail, I will have to find a horrible job somewhere. Maybe you will need a butler, or a scullery maid after you score 'Outstanding' on all of your exams and get a high paying job in an exotic location" he teased her.

She blushed a little and suddenly found the ground worthy of intense study. "I, uh, I don't know if I will be taking N.E.W.T.s after all," she said quietly.

"Why not?" he asked her, but softly, no accusation in his voice.

"Ron, he, he wants me to take the year back at school. It means a lot to him," she tried to explain.

He gently placed his hand under her chin and pulled her gaze from the ground. "What about you Hermione? What do you want?"

You, she thought suddenly. I want you and this place. "I want to make Ron happy. He's been through a lot, he deserves it," she said, starting to sound defensive.

That was the worst explanation he had ever heard for someone to justify their actions. 'He' had been through a lot? 'He' deserved to be happy? Even if it made her miserable? He had never wanted to hex the Weasel more than he did right at that moment.

"So, what are you going to do?" he asked her, still touching her chin.

"I'm going back to Hogwarts" she told him.

"Oh," he fought desperately to hide his disappointment. "Well, then I guess you have plenty of free time to help me study for my N.E.W.T.s? I really need it!" He knew he was playing on her soft heart and her overwhelming desire to help anyone and make everyone else happy, but he didn't care. It meant spending time together and that was all that mattered to him.

"Of course!" she said. "How about right now?" He could tell she was itching to get back into the Malfoy Library.

He laughed and said, "Give me a chance to clean up? You can wait for me in the library if you want."

A huge smile broke through her worry and she said "Deal!" and ran into the house.

She had just started browsing the stacks, choosing the books she wanted to study when she heard the door open. "That was fast" she said as she walked to the end of the stack so she could see him. But it wasn't Draco. It was Lucius in the library with her. "Oh, Mr. Malfoy." She no longer could even imagine calling him Lucius, and blushed slightly at the idea that she ever had. "I was expecting Draco."

"Yes, I know" he said in a tone the she imagined he thought was warm, but still sounded cold to her ears. "Miss Granger. What brings you back to the Manor?" he asked, in that same voice.

"I was looking for a place to have some quiet, and I just sort of ended up here. Then Draco asked me to help him study." She felt like a small, scared girl in his presence.

"Well, I am sure that I speak for my _entire _family when I tell you that we wish you all the best in your recovery. We were all happy to, how shall I say it, _play a role, _in your healing, even if some of us embraced that role more enthusiastically than others. I hope that one day you might return the favor. However, now that you are healed, perhaps you would feel most comfortable back with your friends rather than here at the Manor."

Hermione's head was spinning. What was he saying, exactly? Playing a role? Was that all Draco had been doing, playing a role to help her recover? And was Lucius actually throwing her out? She believed he was, throwing her out and telling her not to come back. Oh, surely with the most genteel of manners, but still, throwing her out.

She gently set the books on the closest table. "Thank you so much for explaining things to me Mr. Malfoy. And I believe you are right. I would feel more comfortable back at the Burrow. You people are too far beneath them for me to ever consider your company again." She walked slowly and steadily past Lucius and out of the library. Draco was in the hallway on his way in. He grabbed her arm, "Hey! Where are you going?" he asked her.

She clenched her jaw and glared at him with fire in her eyes. "Take your hand off me Draco Malfoy" she said in a low, threatening tone. "I am leaving right now and you won't have to worry about seeing me ever again."

Shocked, Draco did as she asked and he watched her walk away, again. He saw his father come out of the library. "What have you done?" he shouted.

"What needed to be done" his father replied coldly. "We do not need her hanging around here anymore, making love sick eyes at you. It was disgusting. I informed Miss Granger that while we were all happy that she has recovered from her indisposition, her continued presence here was no longer appropriate. I assured her that I was speaking for the entire family on this matter."

"What?" Draco shouted at his father. He turned and ran after Hermione, but by the time he reached the garden, she was gone. She had disapperated.

* * *

Arriving back at the Burrow, Hermione collapsed on the ground under the tree in the meadow where she had sought refuge before her trip to the Manor. She wanted to break down and sob, but here came Ron again, running to see her.

"'Mione, where have you been? We were all worried sick about you!"

"Ron, I have made up my mind. I will return to Hogwarts with you and Harry and Ginny" she said, tears in her eyes. Ron decided they must be tears of happiness. She spoke again. "On one condition."

"Ok, what is it?" he asked her.

"I need to spend the rest of the summer alone. So much has happened and I cannot begin to process it all with all the noise and fuss here at the Burrow. My parents set up a fund for me before I… before they left. I am going to stay in London for the rest of the summer. I will meet you back at Hogwarts in the fall."

"But 'Mione" Ron started to protest.

"Not negotiable, Ron" she said. "I need this to really get better, all the way."

He nodded his head and hugged her. "So, I guess I'll see you on the train then." He sounded angry, but Hermione really didn't care. She had been through so much in the last seven years, and it always involved taking care of other people. Just for once, she thought, I am going to do what's right for Hermione Granger. He walked away and she disapperated once again.


	9. Chapter 9

Hermione checked into Wilma Widdershins' rooming house that evening. Wilma assigned her a small, but comfortable suite with a small sitting room, bedroom and private bath. She got the same speech that Ron, Harry and Ginny had gotten about breakfast and tea times, then she left Hermione alone in the room. She took a deep breath and sat on the small sofa in the sitting room. Then she burst into tears. After she had sobbed for what seemed like hours, she felt empty. Better, but still empty. All her emotions; sadness, anger, frustration, had all been wiped out by the tears.

She noticed a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ left on the small table in the sitting room. She picked it up and began reading, trying to distract herself from the events of the last few days. A headline near the bottom of the second page made her stop cold.

"_**MALFOY FAMILY TO FACE TRIAL FOR ACTIVITIES DURING THE WAR"**_

"Lucius Malfoy, along with his wife Narcissa (Black) Malfoy and their son, Draco Malfoy, are all scheduled to face the Wizengamot next week to answer charges that they aided and assisted Lord Voldemort during the recent war. Charges include; conspiracy to cause the murder of Albus Dumbledore, harboring a known war criminal, false imprisonment of persons in their home, and many others. When contacted for to comment on these charges, Lucius Malfoy said, "I have every confidence that once the Wizengamot hears our side of the story, along with key testimony we expect to be provided by a very important witness, my family and I will be completely exonerated."

Hermione's mouth hung open. Was she the 'very important witness' Lucius was talking about? She was fuming. I would see them all rot in hell before I said a word in their favor, she thought, pacing the small room. But the pacing quickly wore out her anger and she thought about Narcissa. She had saved Harry's life in the Forbidden Forest. She had treated Hermione so very kindly in the month she had stayed at Malfoy Manor. She seemed to be genuinely sorry about everything that had happened. So did Draco for that matter. Lucius was the head of their family and it seemed to Hermione that he was the one behind all their scheming and plotting. Lucius' allegiance was to the Dark Lord, and their allegiance was to Lucius. She sat at the desk, took out a parchment and quill and wrote.

"Esteemed Judges of the Wizengamot,

I am writing to you on behalf of Narcissa Cassiopeia Black Malfoy and Draco Lucius Malfoy. I have recently had an opportunity to spend a great deal of time with both of these members of the wizard community. They opened their home to me for more than a month while I recovered from injuries sustained at the Battle of Hogwarts. They showed me every kindness during this time, as well as a great remorse for their actions during the recent troubles. I ask you take this into consideration as you deliberate on the charges against them.

As for Lucius Cassius Malfoy, he remains unrepentant for his actions. He continues to be a manipulative, sodding prick. I trust the good judgment of your Honors in the matter against him.

Thank you for your time,

Hermione Jean Granger"

She put the letter in an envelope and left it on the desk. She would give it to Wilma in the morning to post. She changed into a nightgown borrowed from Wilma, went into the suite's bedroom and crawled into the warm, soft bed. The quiet of the rooming house was like a balm to her soul and she was soon fast asleep.

She spent the rest of the next month shopping, sightseeing, catching up on her reading, and stocking up on the things she would need for Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall had accepted her second request, just as Ron said she would. Now that she was spending time on her own, the idea of returning to Hogwarts was sounding better and better. Being able to spend a quiet year in her favorite place, being able to put off 'growing up' for another year was beginning to look very appealing.

The week before start of term, she did something so completely out of character, she knew everyone would be shocked when they found out. She couldn't wait to surprise everyone on the train this year.

* * *

After Hermione left the Manor, Draco tried to follow her. He desperately wanted to explain to her that his father was wrong, beg her to come back. He apperated to the Burrow. Ron charged at him as soon as he landed, and tackled him to the ground, yelling senselessly. Ron got a couple good blows in before Harry arrived and pulled him off. Draco stood, holding his nose, trying to stop the blood flow. Harry pointed his wand at Draco's bruised face and said "Episkey" and the blood stopped.

"Panks Potter" Draco said through the blood still clogging his nostrils.

"What are you doing here?" Ron shouted at Draco.

"I'm looging por Bermione" he said.

"She not here!" Ron said, accusingly at him. "What did you people do to her, she was miserable once she got back here! She couldn't even stand to stay another day, she took off for London and didn't even pack!"

Draco blew blood and snot out of his nose onto the ground. "It appears to me, Weasel, that what ever happened to her, happened here. She didn't run away from my house."  
Ron advanced on him again, but Draco disapperated before he got close.

"Bloody, bleeding GIT!" Ron screamed at the place where Draco had been standing.

The next week, the Malfoy family was gathered at the Wizengamot, awaiting trial and sentencing. Draco was first. He was ready for whatever sentence they would pronounce. He had done some terrible things at his father's bidding and was prepared for the consequences. He braced himself as the head judge spoke.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy. You have been charged with many serious crimes. However, a very special request has been made of this court to consider some extenuating circumstances surrounding your actions. In light of this information, this court dismisses all charges against you. You are free to go." The judges stood and filed out of the courtroom, leaving Draco standing there, baffled. After a minute he left the courtroom and went to the holding area where his parents were awaiting their trials. His mother sobbed with relief when she saw him leave the courtroom unbound and of his own free will. He told them what had happened. Lucius eyes shone in a victorious sneer. "So, the little mudblood must have come through after all." This time it was Draco's turn to break a nose.

His mother's trial was next, and her ruling had been the same as Draco's. After her release, she and her son embraced, relieved that they had been spared. It was then Lucius' turn to face judgment. He walked into the Wizengamot with his confident stride, and the doors closed behind him. Ten minutes later, he re-emerged, pale and hunched. His hands were shackled and he was escorted by two security wizards.

"Wh-what is it?" Narcissa asked.

"Life in Azkaban, for this one" said one of the security wizards gruffly. Narcissa let out a cry and buried her head on her son's shoulder. He put an arm around her and led her from the Ministry.

Back at the Manor, the mood was somber. Narcissa and Draco moved about the house like sleepwalkers. Neither ate or slept much, and conversations were usually one or two words. Draco had taken to spending most of his time in his room with the heavy curtains drawn.

However, before too long, Narcissa's mood began to lighten. She worked in her gardens and placed beautiful flower arrangements around the Manor. She checked in on Draco frequently, but her increasingly better spirits were not contagious.

Finally, the time came to confront Draco and snap him out of this depression. She strode into his room one morning, and threw open the curtains. The room flooded with bright morning sunlight. Draco groaned and turned away from the light, smothering his head under a pillow Narcissa grabbed the pillow and threw it across the room.

"DRACO MALFOY" she yelled at him. "Your behavior is unacceptable. Brooding in the dark over this girl, it's a disgrace!"

"Mother," Draco began.

"DO NOT 'Mother' me!" she yelled. "Listen to me and listen well. Your behavior is a dishonor to the Malfoy name. No Malfoy would ever sit in a dark room and mourn for something he wanted. A REAL Malfoy would go out and _**fight**_ for what he wants! He would fight and he would never give up, so long as there was even a sliver of a chance that he could have what he wanted! Now, Draco, be a credit to your respected name. Get yourself out of that bed and cleaned up. You need to get to Diagon Alley. Here is your list of supplies. Professor McGonagall is expecting you at Hogwarts tomorrow." She turned and left the room as abruptly as she entered it. Standing outside his room she smiled as she heard his whoop of joy as he jumped off his bed and ran into his bathroom.


	10. Chapter 10

Hermione finished packing her things and sent her trunk down to the lobby. She took a last look around the small rooms she had spent the summer in, remembering the calm quiet of the evenings, curled in the armchair, reading. She was ready to return to Hogwarts now. She opened the door, turned out the lights, and walked downstairs, heading for Kings Cross Station.

* * *

The Burrow was the usual bustling scene the start of term always brought. Even though there were only three remaining students in the house, people were rushing to and fro, yelling "Where's my books?" and "Who's made off with my toothbrush? It was just here!" Finally, everyone was as ready as they would ever be and they all bundled off to the station.

* * *

Narcissa stood with Draco in his room. His trunks were neatly packed, thanks to Reever. Narcissa appraised her tall, handsome son in the clear morning light. There were still dark smudges beneath his grey eyes, but she could tell he had actually gotten some sleep last night. She looked him over and brushed some imaginary lint from the shoulder of his dark suit jacket. She took his face in her hands and said to him, "Draco. I am so proud of you, the man you are becoming. Remember, you do not have to be your father's son. Find your own way, Draco. Find your own happiness. That is all I want for you, my darling."

Draco smiled and hugged his mother close, inhaling her familiar scent, and felt comfort. He pulled back and looked her in the eyes. "I will get her back, Mother. No matter what it takes."

"I know you will" she smiled at him and touched his cheek once more. "Now go, you don't want to miss the train." Draco turned and gestured to Reever to take his trunks and he and the elf disapperated to the station.

* * *

Hermione arrived at the station first, actually quite early. She loaded her trunks on the train, and then had her choice of compartments. She sat in one and pulled a book out of her bag to pass the time.

* * *

In spite of the chaos at the Burrow, Harry, Ron and Ginny made the train in plenty of time as well. They looked around the platform for Hermione, but didn't see her. They also loaded their trunks, said their goodbyes to Molly and boarded the train.

"Where's 'Mione then?" Ron wondered aloud as they walked through the train, looking for a compartment. He stopped short, causing Ginny to run into the back of him.

"Hey! Watch out!" she said. Ron didn't hear a thing. He was looking into the compartment in front of him. Sitting next to the window was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She was turned towards the window, reading a book. She had long, smooth honey golden hair, and soft glowing skin. She let out a sigh and put the book in her lap. Ron almost fainted.

" 'Mione?" he said in amazement, "Is that you?"

"Ron!" she said as she stood and hugged him, his mouth still hanging open.

"What the bloody hell happened to you?" he said and immediately regretted it. Her face fell, and she touched her hair.

"I-I decided to try something new, I wanted to look more grown up. You don't like it?" she said, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

From behind Ron, in the doorway of the compartment, another voice spoke. "It's beautiful, Hermione. Lindy would approve." Now it was Hermione's turn to be surprised.

"Malfoy" she said flatly, "What are you doing here? Starting a Drama Club at Hogwarts this year?"

He let the barb pass unremarked. "I was never going to pass N.E.W.T.s on my own, so I decided another year was in order. I guess I'll see you at the castle. Weasley" he greeted and dismissed Ron in one word as he turned and found another compartment.

Ginny was finally able to get into the compartment with Hermione and Ron and she squealed, "Hermione, you look gorgeous! You have to tell me exactly what you did!" As the two girls sat and began talking hair products and makeup, Harry joined the group and sat with Ron.

"She looks different, eh?" he said, elbowing Ron.

"Yeah, guess so" Ron said, distractedly. He wasn't sure how to take this new Hermione. It would take some getting used to for sure, he thought.

They all chatted comfortably on the journey. Harry, Ron and Ginny filled her in on the rest of the summer at the Burrow and she gave them an overview of her summer in London, never giving much detail. She wanted that time to stay hers. Soon they were approaching the school and the group changed into their robes and prepared to leave the train for the castle. When they arrived, the thestral pulled carriages were lined up waiting for them. Hermione thought sadly about all the students that could now see the thestrals. Even some of the first years were pointing and asking what kind of beasts they were. They had all seen too much death, she thought.

Once they entered the castle, they made their way to the great hall. Ginny went to the Gryffindor table, but the other three were unsure where to sit.

"Suppose we are still Gryffindor's?" asked Harry.

"If not, they will let us know" reasoned Ron, and the three took seats at the Gryffindor House table. The other eighth years followed and sat with their previously affiliated houses.

Professor McGonagall led the first years in, as usual. Even though she was Headmistress now, this was a job she relished and was not planning on giving up anytime soon. After the first years were sorted and seated at their new house tables and she took her place at the center of the head table and began the start of term announcements.

"Good evening all, and welcome to Hogwarts start of term feast. As you can see, we have some classmates that have returned to complete their education in an eighth year of study. Eighth years, since the house dormitories cannot hold more students than the current first through seventh years, a new dormitory has been built for all eighth year students. While you will share these living quarters, you will still be grouped with your previous Houses for purpose of House Cup points and all other house functions. Understood?" There was a general mummer of assent from the eighth years.

"Also, since all of the eighth year students are all now over seventeen, they will all have the rights and privileges of prefects." More murmuring among all the students at this announcement.

Professor McGonagall continued, "Mr. Filtch has informed me that, other than the Slytherin House dormitories and the Potions classroom, the dungeons are still undergoing refurbishment and are as such strictly off limits to the students. Apart from that, you should find the castle and the grounds completely restored." At this a cheer and wild applause rose from all the students.

Professor McGonagall motioned for quiet. "And now, the staff announcements. Professor Slughorn has agreed to stay on as Potions Professor. We also welcome two new professors this evening. Taking my former role as Transfigurations Professor, please welcome Elias Hogarth." A middle aged, brown haired wizard stood and gave a small wave to the students.

"And the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher" a wild chatter broke out among the students at this. Why did they still need a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, now that the Dark Lord was vanquished?

"I will have quiet!" Professor McGonagall said, and a hush descended over the student body. "I realize that since the events of this past spring, that there are some who think that a Defense Against the Dark Arts class is no longer necessary. I believe that is foolish, naïve thinking. There will always be witches and wizards willing to resort to the Dark Arts to get what they want, and we must never forget how to defend against them. So, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is Annalise Erickson."

A young looking witch with short black hair stood and nodded to the hall. "And now" the headmistress raised her hands and clapped them twice. The tables instantly were filled with all the familiar foods of the start of term feast. "Please enjoy your meals!"

* * *

After the meal, the house prefects led the first years to their new dormitories, and the rest of the students followed. Professor McGonagall led the eighth years to their dormitory. On the fifth floor she stopped in front of a portrait of Lavender Brown. There were a few gasps from the assembled students as Lavender welcomed them.

"That's bloody creepy" Ron muttered. Hermione turned and gave him a cold stare.

"Show some respect, Ron" she snapped in a whisper.

"Casia Furva" Professor McGonagall said and the portrait swung open to allow the group access into the eighth year's common room. It was mostly grey stone, with splashes of colorful decorations representing each house. Sofas and armchairs were placed around the room, and there were three tables for students to work together at.

Professor McGonagall pointed out two corridors that branched off from the common room, one on each side. "Boys dormitory to the left, girls to the right. In addition to prefect privileges, you eighth years will also be allowed to go to Hogsmead at any time, so long as you return to the school by the 10 o'clock curfew. You will be taking classes with the seventh year students, since those are the courses you need to complete. If you have completed any of your seventh year last year, you may approach your professors about getting credit for seventh year work already completed. Welcome back, students. Have a good year."

Hermione went to the girl's dormitory. Instead of sleeping in a large room together, this hallway had doors with each girl's name engraved on a plaque, and their house emblem below. She found hers and opened the door.  
The room was decorated in red and gold. There was a four poster bed made of dark wood hung with red velvet curtains. Next to the bed was a night table made of the same wood. Her trunk was at the foot of her bed. To the immediate right of the door were the fireplace and two arm chairs. By the bed was a desk near the window. To her left was another door. Through that door was a closet and her own bathroom.

Not bad, she thought. At least I won't have to listen to the other girl's gossip and giggling all night.

* * *

When they received their class schedules the next day she and Ron found that they only had three classes together; Potions, Arithmancy, and Charms. Ron was disappointed. "I want to spend time with you 'Mione" he said, almost whining. "Only three classes together and the rest of the time you will have your nose buried in your books!"

"Ron," she said, trying mightily to contain her temper, " 'Burying my nose in my books' is also known to some as STUDYING. You might try it sometime." And she walked off to her first class, Runes.

She was still out of sorts when she arrived and dropped into her chair, flinging her bag on the ground.

"Are you alright?" a familiar voice asked.

"Malfoy, you do not have to pretend to give a damn about me anymore. You got what you wanted from me; you and your mother are not in Azkaban. Can you just leave me alone?"

"No, Hermione, I can't" he said and walked away to take his seat. What the hell does that mean, she thought, as Professor Babbling began the lesson.

She enjoyed all of her classes, of course, even the ones she shared with Ron, despite his hovering over her. On her way back to the dorms after dinner that night, she saw Malfoy standing over a group of first year Hufflepuffs. Uh oh, she thought. She hurried over to stop him from whatever he was doing.

"It will come, you just need practice" she heard him saying. "Just remember, it's _Wingardium Levi__**OO**__sa, _not _Wingardium Levios__**AH**_." The Hufflepuffs thanked him and hurried off to their dorm.

"What was that all about?" Hermione demanded.

"They were practicing their spell and it wasn't working. They were getting really frustrated, so I stopped to help."

She looked at him for almost a solid minute. Finally he said "What?"

She shook her head, then turned on her heel and walked away. He smiled and chuckled at her retreating figure.


	11. Chapter 11

Hermione entered the common room and slumped into a chair, staring at the fire. What did I just see, she wondered. Was that Malfoy, actually helping someone? Ginny interrupted her thoughts.

"Hey Hermione, how was your first day?" she asked.

"It was pretty good. Ginny, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked as she hugged her friend.

"Just waiting for Harry so we can go to the library," Ginny said. "Can I ask you a question Hermione?"

"Sure" she replied.

"What did you mean, in Runes, when you told Draco that he got what he wanted from you?" Ginny asked, is a slightly suspicious tone. Hermione hadn't noticed Ginny in her Runes class until the professor had taken attendance.

"Not what you're thinking!" Hermione said as she shook her head. Ginny was obviously concerned that Hermione had cheated on Ron.

"When I read about the Malfoys impending trial before the Wizengamot, I wrote to the judges. I told them that Narcissa and Draco were basically pawns in Lucius' schemes and asked them to take that into consideration when judging their cases." Hermione explained in hushed tones to Ginny. She didn't want Harry or Ron to hear about this.

"So that's why he's not in Azkaban!" Ginny said. "So if he was just a pawn in Lucius' schemes, and you really believe that, why are you still so mad at him?"

"He," Hermione started, and then paused, thinking. "This summer, at the Manor, I believe they all were pretending to care about me so that I would speak up for them when their trials were held; pawns in yet another scheme. Lucius all but told me that was their only motivation for helping me when I was cursed. Let's just say Draco played his role over the top. He didn't have to..." make me love him, she thought but didn't say it. "Pretend to care so much" she finished.

"So, you think he was just pretending to care about you? That's why he showed up at the Burrow right after you left for London, looking for you?" Ginny asked.

"He did WHAT?" Hermione exclaimed. "Why would he do that?" she asked Ginny.

"I have no idea! He apperated not more than five minutes after you left, and Ron jumped him and punched him in the mouth. You spent more time with him that I ever have, why don't you answer your own question" Ginny said. Just then Harry emerged from the boy's dorm and came over to them.

"Ready to go Gin?" he asked. "Hermione, we're headed to the library. Want to come along?"

"No" she said distractedly. "I think I am just going to study in my room."

Another set of eyes watched from a corner of the common room as Hermione headed down the hall to the girls dormitories. Blasie Zabini had also returned to Hogwarts for his eighth year, at his mother's insistence. He had been pleased to see his old Slytherin year mate, Draco Malfoy at school. His pleasure was turning to disgust, however, watching the formerly proud pureblooded Malfoy mooning over the mudblood Granger.

The next afternoon Hermione spent in the library studying with Ron. She was determined to be nice to him, and not let his every move grate her nerves. They were working on a Potions essay that was due the following week. Ron had wanted to put it off, "Blimey 'Mione, it's not due until next Wednesday! We've got loads of time! Let's go to Hogsmeade!", but Hermione had insisted.

"Ron, it's a full twenty inch essay! Do you have any idea how long that will take to write?" So now they sat together in the library, Hermione studying the history of the Invigoration Draught, Ron pretending to read about Draught of Living Death, but in reality, scratching Chudley Cannon doodles on his parchment and staring out the window.

"Come on 'Mione, can't you just tell me what to write? You know I'm no good at research!" he pleaded.

"Ron, if you want to be an Auror, you will have to be able to do research! It's not all just catching bad guys, you know."

"Well, Harry and I will just be partners then. He can do the research and I'll catch the bad guys!" he said smiling at her.

"Have you told Harry of this plan?" she asked, laughing at him.

Just then Malfoy approached their table. "Ron" he began, "Did I hear you say that you are you writing your essay on the Draught of Living Death?"

"Yeah, Malfoy. What's it to you?" Ron snarled back at him, but Draco kept his composure and slid a book towards him.

"I just thought you might find this book helpful. It has some really interesting history about the Draught" he said, and walked away.

"Did Draco Malfoy just offer to help me?" Ron asked Hermione.

"Uh, yeah. It looks that way" Hermione said as she picked up the book. If Malfoy was giving it to Ron, she wanted to make sure it was something that would actually help him, and not some wild goose chase meant to give him trouble. She recognized the book immediately. It was a rare original of "_Potiones of the Soule_" written in the late 12th century. She and Malfoy had studied from it. This book was not a school book, this came from the Malfoy library. It was incredibly rare and expensive. And Malfoy had just entrusted it to Ron. He could just about write his entire essay from the information in this one book. "You know what? Let's go get that butterbeer after all," Hermione said to Ron. He jumped up and hugged her and they left the library holding hands. Draco watched them go.

After Ron and Hermione left, he went over to the table where they had been sitting and took the seat Hermione had vacated.

* * *

The next week, Hermione noticed a flyer posted in the eighth years common room.

"All Seventh and Eighth Year Students

There will be a meeting in the Great Hall this Saturday at 10 o'clock a.m. for anyone wishing to be a tutor for first and second year students. A score higher than E on any O.W.L. subject is a requirement."

Hermione read the notice excitedly. Ron joined her at the notice board. "Ron, look at this! I am going; I would love to tutor someone! What about you?" she asked.

"Can't" he mumbled through a mouthful of food. "Quidditch practice" he said.

"Oh" she said, disappointed. She was hoping this was something they could do together that she would enjoy.

"Three Broomsticks tonight?" he asked her.

"No, sorry Ron, I've got a Charms essay to finish." And she left the common room for the quiet of her bedroom.

On Saturday, she showed up early for the tutors meeting and saw Malfoy standing at the front of the hall, shuffling some papers.

"Malfoy, are you considering tutoring an acting class?" she asked sarcastically. "If you could have been graded on your performance this summer, you would have gotten an 'O' for certain"

All he said was "Hermione, how are you finding school so far? Actually, I organized this club. I brought the idea to Professor McGonagall and she approved it." He was trying so hard to change, to prove to her that he was a better person than the Draco she had known. He found that he had actually enjoyed helping the first years. So much, that he had even approached Professor McGonagall about forming the tutoring group.

"Great" she said cynically, threw herself into a seat, crossed her arms and stared at the wall through the whole meeting.

Later, at lunch Ron asked her how the tutoring club meeting went. "Well, if you can believe it, Draco Malfoy is the leader of the club" she said, with disgust.

"Really?" asked Ron, "Malfoy?"

"Yes, it's reprehensible. I cannot believe Professor McGonagall approved this. What could Draco Malfoy possibly gain from tutoring first and second years. Unless…" she trailed off, "Unless he wants to groom them to become the next generation of Death Eaters!"

"I can assure you, my intentions are honorable" came a voice from behind her. Malfoy had passed by on his way out of the Great Hall and heard what she said.

She jumped up from her seat and poked him in the chest. "Really Malfoy? Since when do you do anything for anyone if there isn't something in it for you?" she asked scathingly.

"Since May second" he answered and walked away. She stared at him as he left, dumbstruck.

After lunch, back in the common room, Blaise jerked the tutoring club notice from the board, crumpled it up and threw it into the fire He's practically turning into a Gryffindor do gooder, he thought.


	12. Chapter 12

As was always the case at Hogwarts, the days quickly grew into weeks. All the students were kept busy with school work, clubs and activities.

It was an overcast Saturday and Hermione found herself in the library, alone. The biggest Quidditch match of the season was going to be played today, Gryffindor verses Slytherin. All the students were gathering in the stands at the Quidditch field, jockeying for the best view of the match.

Hermione was engrossed in a book about the connection between Arithmancy and Astrology, when she heard the roar of the crowd. She looked at the clock on the wall. Uh oh, she thought. The match had started ten minutes ago. Ron, Harry and Ginny would be so disappointed if she missed it. She closed her book and hurried through the castle towards the Quidditch pitch.

Blaise was pacing through the castle, fuming. He had tried to talk to Malfoy about this strange obsession he had with that mudblood girl, but Malfoy wouldn't hear it. "That's our parents talking, Blaise. Open your eyes and grow up. Think for yourself for a change."

Hermione rushed down the hall headed out to the pitch when a voice from behind said her name. "Hey, Granger!" the voice yelled. She turned and saw Blaise Zabini walking towards her.

"Oh, hey Blaise" she said, apprehensively. Even having shared the eighth years dormitory with him, he had never seemed to warm to her. "On your way to the Quidditch match?" she asked him.

"No Granger, I'm not going to the Quidditch match" he replied, approaching her. "So, I hear tell that you have a thing for a certain Slytherin? Going to cheer him on?"

"I don't know what you are talking about" she said, shortly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm missing the match" and she turned to leave, but he grabbed her by the wrist.

"I'm talking about the way you and Malfoy have been mooning over each other all school year. It's making us all sick Granger. I know how to help you get it out of your system, though" he said, pulling her to him. "One pureblood Slytherin is as good as another, right? And we do have the whole school to ourselves, after all." She reached out to push him away from her and caught his face with her fingernails.

"Bitch!" he hissed and pulled back his fist and punched her. Her head snapped back and she saw bright spots in her vision. I'm going to faint, she thought, disjointedly. Blaise pushed her against a wall and shoved his wand under her chin and pressed her body against the wall with his. He began fumbling with the buttons on her shirt and she just stared over his shoulder, her mind refusing to believe that this was really happening. That was when she saw Draco's face appear over Blaise's shoulder, snarling with rage. Blaise's weight was pulled off of her and she fainted.

* * *

The heavy rain and lightning had caused the Quidditch game to be postponed, to the very vocal dismay of the whole school. Ron, Harry, and Draco were headed back to their dormitory when they came around the corner and saw Blaise. He had Hermione pinned against the wall with his wand shoved under her chin, and he looked like he was trying to undo her blouse. Draco sprung first, grabbing Blasie off Hermione and throwing him to the floor. He fell on top of him, pinning him to the floor and punching him. His lip split open and gushed blood, and Draco hit again. His nose broke with a very satisfying crunch and more blood flowed, and Draco hit again. He connected with Blaise's cheek, and tried to swing again.

Harry and Ron reacted just a split second after Draco. Harry got behind Draco and tried to pull him off Blaise, shouting his name, "Draco, DRACO! Let him up!"

Ron pulled his wand from inside his Quidditch robes and stood between Hermione and the battle, ready to protect her.

Harry finally had Draco up off of Blaise and relaxed his grip for one second. It was one second too much. Draco reached into his Quidditch robe, whipped out his wand and pointed it at Zabini.

He screamed, "AVADA-" but before he could get the second word out, Ron roared, "EXPELLIARMUS!" Draco's wand flew through the air and Harry caught it.

"GIVE IT TO ME" Draco screamed, "I'LL FUCKING KILL HIM!"

"What in the world is going on here?" asked Professor Hogarth, coming back from the Quidditch match.

"He attacked Hermione" Harry said gesturing at Blaise.

Professor Hogarth leaned over the form on the floor, studying the face that now resembled a pile of raw meat. "Mr. Zabini?" he asked.

Draco spit on Blaise and said, "Yeah, that's him."

Professor Hogarth said, "Mr. Weasley, you'd better get Miss Granger to the hospital wing." Ron picked Hermione's still unconscious form up and cradled her in his arms. Draco moved to follow them, but Professor Hogarth stopped him.

"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter – would you please help me and escort Mr. Zabini to the headmistress' office? We'll summon the Aurors from there."

Draco and Harry each slung one of Blaine's arms over their shoulders and dragged him off.

* * *

Ron kicked open the door of the hospital wing and Madame Pomfrey came running from her office. "What's happened?" she asked as he lay her on the nearest bed.

"She was attacked" he told her.

"Were there any spells involved?" Madame Pomfrey asked.

"No, I don't think so. But he hit her, and I think she may have hit her head when she fainted."

Madame Pomfrey waved her wand over Hermione's swelling face and said, "Episkey"

Hermione gasped and sat up in the bed. "What happened?" she asked, looking around.

"Blaise," Ron began, but couldn't finish.

"Oh, right" Hermione said quietly. "My head hurts" she said, rubbing the back of her head.

"You fainted and I think you hit your head" Ron said.

"I think so too," Hermione said.

"You need to stay here overnight for observation" declared Madame Pomfrey.

"No way" balked Hermione. "I want to go back to the dorms. I feel fine. It's just a bump."

Madame Pomfrey did a quick but thorough examination of Hermione. "You may go back to your dorm, but Mr. Weasley" she turned to Ron, "I want you to watch her very carefully! If she complains of any nausea, dizziness, hearing or vision problems, headache, anything unusual, you bring her straight back here. Understand?"

Ron nodded and helped Hermione up off the bed. With his arm around her, they slowly made their way back to the eighth years common room. Hermione slumped on a couch and Ron sat beside her. "Are you really ok?" he asked.

She shook her head and a tear slipped down her cheek. "But it was nothing Madame Pomfrey could cure" she said.

Just then the portrait swung open and Draco came into the common room. He walked over to Hermione, knelt in front of her and took her hand. "He's gone. The Aurors took him. You are safe, I promise you." Another tear slid down her cheek. He brushed it away with his thumb, and gently caressed her soft skin.

"Draco, mate" Ron said quietly. "Give us a minute?" Draco nodded and headed back out the portrait door.

Ron looked at Hermione for a long minute. Then he said. "You love him." Not a question, a statement.

Hermione protested, "No, Ron. I love you."

"Not the way you love him. Not in a way that will make you happy. Hermione, we have been through so much together. We grew up together. I know I have a special place in your heart, but is it really love? I have seen the way you look at him, and the way he looks at you. I have watched him work so hard this year to prove that he is a better man than any of us ever gave him credit for. Do you know why he's done that?"

She shook her head, more tears forming in her eyes.

"He wants to deserve you Hermione. You make him want to be a better man. You should have seen him today. He was insane with worry for you. You remember when the Snatchers found us and took us to Malfoy Manor? He wouldn't identify Harry because he knew he would be killed? Or how he couldn't kill Dumbledore, even though his life and his families lives depended on it? Draco Malfoy is not a killer. But today, he was ready to kill Zabini, his friend, because he hurt you. He tried to use the Avada Kedavra on him. I had to disarm him to stop him."

Hermione was crying steadily now. "But Ron, you-" she began.

"I'll be fine, Hermione. I'll be even better knowing that you are happy" he said, holding her hands and looking into her eyes.

She leaned forward and kissed him, once, twice, on the lips. "You are a good man, Ron Weasley" she said.

"Too good" he said. "Now stop kissing me. Go find him and kiss him." Her smile lit up her whole face as she ran out the portrait door.

Harry was standing in front of the portrait of Lavender Brown, holding back a small crowd. They had all heard what had happened and wanted to see if Hermione was ok.

"Harry, which way did Draco go?" she asked desperately.

"Towards the main staircase. Hermione-" he called after her, but she sprinted in the direction of the stairs. She ran down them as fast as she could, but when she got to the main entrance hall, he was nowhere to be seen. She saw Neville Longbottom coming out from a side hallway.

"Neville! Did you see which way Draco went?"

"Yeah" he said, "The barmy git walked right out into the rain! I think he turned towards the lake."

"Thank you Neville!" Hermione shouted as she ran out the front door.

"Now she's running out into the rain" Neville exclaimed to the empty hall. "Has everyone gone mad?"

Hermione ran through the rain towards the lake. The rain hadn't let up, but the sun had broken through, turning the rain to showers of gold. She saw his figure standing by a tree near the lake.

"Draco" she shouted and he turned to look at her.

She was crying harder now, the rain mixing with the tears running down her face.

"I am so sorry!" she sobbed. "You tried to tell me all year, and I was too angry and proud and stupid to listen! You really meant it, didn't you? All of it! Draco, I am so sorry!" She grabbed his hands and tried to look into his face, but he was staring at the ground. I'm too late, she worried wildly.

"Draco, can you please forgive me? Give me another chance?"

He shook his head slightly and looked in her eyes.

"Hermione" he began slowly. "Do you remember what I said to you, that day at the Manor when they came with the spell to break your curse? You asked me if I would stay with you. Do you remember what I said?"

She looked into his eyes and slowly nodded her head. "Always" she whispered.

"That's right" he said, cupping her the uninjured side of her face, "Always, my love" and he pulled her to him and kissed her in the golden rain.


End file.
